Michael Edward Cox (1943-2017)

COX, LANGE, PHILLIPS, KOCH, HOWELL

Posted By: Mark Christian
Date: 7/3/2017 at 11:32:24

Obituary from Hitchcock Funeral Home, Burwell, Nebraska.

Michael Edward Cox, 74, of Burwell, Nebraska died June 16, 2017 at the Valley County Health Systems Hospital in Ord, Nebraska.

Funeral services will be 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, June 20, 2017 at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Burwell, Nebraska. Burial will be in Cottonwood Cemetery in Burwell. Pastor Jon Franson and Pastor David Dobbertien will officiate. Visitation will be Monday from 5 – 7 p.m. at Hitchcock Funeral Home in Burwell. In Lieu memorials are suggested to the Burwell Fire and Rescue.

Mike was born April 27, 1943 in Ames, Iowa to Edward and Blanche (Lange) Cox. In his youth, sports were a big part of his life. In 1992 he was inducted into the Hall of Fame for Football, basketball and track at Ames High School. He attended Iowa State College and earned many acolytes for his sporting achievements on the field. He was named all Big 8 Conference Linebacker twice. In 1964 he was Captain of the team as well as a member of Iowa State All Time All Star Team. In the history of Iowa State College, Mike was the only football player to have his number retired. Mike was drafted to the Kansas City Chief Football Team in 1965. In the second off-season he took a job with AT&T. That was a start of a 25 year career that took him from Iowa to North Dakota, Minnesota, Nebraska and Illinois. He took early retirement when the company wanted to move him to New Jersey. He moved to farm west of Burwell and started his new career as a farmer / rancher - a life style that he loved and was passionate about right up to the end and through his eight year battle with cancer. He loved the community, the land, and his animals. They ask him to be an assistant coach of the local high school football team for a few years and working with local youth was one of Mike’s greatest joys and achievements.

Mike is survived by his wife Jo Cox of Burwell, Nebraska. Three children, Bill and Holly Cox of Mabel, Minnesota, Marnie and Chris Phillips of Omaha, Nebraska and Ron and Cindy Koch of Bend, Oregon. Six grandchildren and two step-grandchildren. A brother, Jeff and Cindy Cox of Highlands, North Carolina.

Mike was preceded in death by his parents, a son, John Cox and a sister, Barb Howell.