Walter Thompson Cox

Walter Thompson Cox, Jr., Clemson, SC

Interment services for Walter T. Cox, Jr., 87, will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, July 1, 2006, at the University's 'Cemetery Hill.' Following the interment, a memorial service will be held at The Brook's Center on Clemson University Campus. Services will be officiated by Dr. Todd Wilson, Clemson First Baptist Church. The family will receive friends from 6 to 8 p.m. on Friday, June 30 at Duckett-Robinson Funeral Home in Central. Honorary pallbearers will be surviving members of the 'Great' Class of 1939, former CU presidents, Dr. R.C. Edwards, Dr. Phil Prince, Dr. Max Lennon, and Dr. Constantine 'Deno' Curris.

Dean Cox died Wednesday, June 28, 2006 at St Francis Hospital, Greenville, SC after a short stay resulting from injuries suffered in a fall on June 14th. Born in Belton, SC, he was the son of the late Walter T. Cox, Sr. and Grace Campbell Cox. He came to Clemson College in 1935, and 'never left.' Commissioned at Clemson in the Army as an infantryman, he fought in the Pacific campaign and was a proud WWII veteran. A Tiger letterman, he started on the 1939 Cotton Bowl football team. After graduating, he served in a sequence of jobs starting as a football and baseball coach, alumni and public relations coordinator, the first "Dean of Students", the first Vice President of Student Affairs, development officer, and as the tenth President of Clemson University. He was a counselor to many students during his 52 year career of public service and was affectionately called Dean Cox. He had a number of distinguished awards for his service at Clemson and was awarded the Order of the Palmetto. He was a Director on the SC Public Service Authority, served on the board for Blue-Cross, Blue-Shield, and was a board member of the C&S National Bank of SC. He was a member of the Clemson First Baptist Church for over 60 years, serving as a Deacon. He was a 60-year member and past president of the Anderson Rotary Club.

He was the widower of the late Mary Johnson Cox and then Jenelle Garrett Cox. Surviving are his sons Walter T. Cox, III (wife Victoria Grubbs Cox), Frank J. Cox (wife Crossie McDowell Cox), J. William Cox (wife Janet Hedrick Cox), and daughter Grace Cox Kerns (husband Charles Kerns), step-daughter, Jennie Cox Waddington (husband Harry Waddington); five grandchildren (Lisa Cox Craig, Walter T. Cox IV; Katharine Cox Johnson and Campbell Johnson Cox; Wesley Kerns; and six great-grandchildren (Grace Craig, Katherine and Mary Johnson Craig; Madison Johnson; and Miriam Cox and Riley Cox); Three step grandchildren: Lewis Greer, Harrison Greer and Julia Greer.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to: Mary Johnson Scholarship or to the Clemson Foundation at Clemson Fund (Clemson University. 110 Daniel Drive. Clemson, SC, 29631-1520. Respect and tributes can be made at http://www.carepages.com - 'TheWTCoxfamily' site. Duckett-Robinson Funeral Home, Central-Clemson Commons is assisting the family with the arrangements.