Earl James Cox, 83, of Watauga, passed away Wednesday, January 31, 2018, at the James H. Quillen VA Medical Center.
A native of Carter County, he was a son of the late John and Anna Bell Humphreys Cox.
Earl served in the United States Army for six years. He was the retired owner and operator of Cox Paint & Body Shop and Wrecker Service for 25 years. He was a member of Grace Baptist Church. He also was a golfer and had many golfing buddies.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his wife, Pearl Lyons Cox; a brother, Roy Cox; sisters, Mary Emma Cox and infant Edith May; a step-daughter and husband, Barbara and Roy Garland; a step-grandson, David Garland; and a brother-in-law, Arlie Joe Woods Sr.
Survivors include a sister, Roby Cox Woods; a brother and sister-in-law, Paul and Martha Cox; a step-grandson and wife, John and Lisa Garland, who helped take care of him; a step-grandson and wife, Richard and Sylvia Garland; step-great-grandsons, Joey (Jennie) Garland, Brandon and Lucus Garland; his special great-granddaughter, Gloria Garland; and other step-grandchildren, nieces, nephews and cousins.
The funeral service for James Earl Cox will be conducted at 2 p.m. Saturday, February 3, at Memorial Funeral Chapel with the Rev. Ron Owens officiating. The entombment service will follow in the Mausoleum of Peace at Happy Valley Memorial Park. Active pallbearers will be Chris Fait, Paul Cox Jr., Robert Cox, John Garland, Joey Garland and Jamie Reece. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made in memory of Earl to the East Tennessee Kidney Foundation, P.O. Box 22072, Knoxville, TN 37933 (http://www.ETKidney.org/). The family will receive friends from 1 until 2 p.m. Saturday, prior to the service. Friends may also visit with the family at his residence. Condolences may be sent to the family at our website at www.memorialfcelizabethton.com.
Memorial Funeral Chapel is serving the Cox family.