Ruth Cox

Ruth Cox, 85, of Williamsburg passed away Tuesday, March 22 at the Williamsburg Nursing Home.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Norman J. Cox; two brothers, Henry and Michael Childress; and her sister, Wanda Dennison.
She is survived by her daughter, Denise Holly of Corbin; her son, William Cox and his wife Donna of Science Hill; and four grandchildren, Barron Cox, Liam Cox, Emily Holly, and Sara Holly; she is also survived by two brothers, Jerry Childress, of Corbin and Roger Childress, of Fort Myers, Florida; and a sister-in-law, Judith Wakefield of Vero Beach, Florida.
Ruth was born in Speedwell, Tennessee, the oldest of Roy and Beatrice Childress’s six children.
She attended Berea College and graduated from Cumberland College in Williamsburg. She received a Master’s degree in Social Work from the University of Kentucky. She worked as a social worker for the state of Kentucky for 35 years. She retired in order to join the Peace Corps, and taught at a residential high school in Namibia. She later came out of retirement again to work for a time at a dialysis clinic in Barbourville.
Ruth was a member of the First Christian Church of Williamsburg, now the Cornerstone Community Church, which she attended since 1962. She was also a member of various civic and social clubs, most recently the London chapter of the Red Hat Society.
Ruth was the rock of her family. In addition to raising her two children, she took in her two youngest brothers after her mother died. She nursed her husband through years of cancer treatment. She dedicated her career to helping the neglected, abused, or abandoned children of Kentucky. Then she helped raise four grandchildren and also welcomed step-grandchildren into the family.
She loved traveling, mystery novels, and butter pecan ice cream. She will be sorely missed by her family, friends, and all who knew her.
Funeral service was Saturday, March 26, at Ellison Funeral Home with Bro. David Sweet officiating.
Interment was in Whitley Memorial Gardens.
Condolences may be made to the family at www.ellisonfh.com.
Ellison Funeral Home in charge of arrangements.