Mr. Newell J. Cox was born on November 11, 1930 in Teague, Texas and found gone home to glory, in his home on Saturday, March 5, 2018. He was lovingly placed in the nurturing hands of Mr. & Mrs. P.T. Cox (Maggie), who predeceased him.
He accepted Christ at an early at St. Paul A.M.E. Church in Teague, Texas. He graduated from Booker T. Washington High School as salutatorian in 1948. He enrolled as freshman in Huston Tillotson College in 1948, in Austin, Texas where he later pledged Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. While on campus his love for music blossomed while enjoyed playing with the blues bands of Ray Charles, Johnnie Taylor and Bobby ‘Blue’ Bland. In 1952, he graduated with honors with a degree in Music Education with a concentration in band.
He served two years in the United States Army stationed at Fort Bliss, in El Paso, Texas. He started his teaching career in Oakwood, Diboll and Edna, Texas. In keeping with his studies, he was the band director in Diboll and Edna. Then, he taught in Mexia, Texas for several years. While there, he fell in love and married Shirley McIllveen on December 24, 1960.
A teaching opportunity sent him to Dallas, where he taught in the Dallas Independent School District in several elementary schools until he retired in 1999.
After retiring, he returned to Teague, where he served two terms on the Teague City Council. While serving on the council, he was elected president of the Texas Municipal League. One of the highlights, was attending city meetings for the league all over the State of Texas, representing the City of Teague. He ended his years of public service with city, as Mayor Pro Tem.
After serving on the Teague City Council, he remained active in his church and the Freestone County Veterans Affairs Committee.
He leaves to cherish his memory two daughters, Shelia Cox and Amanda Cox Rawls (Gerard). He leaves three grandchildren: Jordan Warren, Symmora Warren and Raphael Rawls along with a ‘bonus-child’, Kermit Wooley, Shirley McIllveen Cox Wooley and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.
