Patty Dean Cox

Patty Dean Cox, 92, of Daleville, passed away on March 13, 2026. She was born on January 8, 1934, in Boissevain, Virginia, to Charlie “Cleve” Patrick and Mary Brooks. Raised in the coalfields of southwest Virginia and southern West Virginia alongside her siblings Judy and Jim, Patty grew up surrounded by extended family in small communities, homesteads, farms, and coal company houses. She graduated from Pocahontas High School in Pocahontas, Virginia, in 1951, alongside her future husband, Robert “Bob” Cox, whom she married that same year.

Following graduation, Patty and Bob began their life together as he joined the United States Marine Corps during the Korean War. In 1951 she gave birth to their first son, Danny, followed by Randy a year later, both born in the same house where she herself had entered the world. Over the next 25 years, Patty steadfastly supported her husband’s military career, shuttling the family between southwest Virginia and eastern North Carolina while managing the challenges of frequent moves and deployments. Their third son, Jody, was born in 1961. The family lived in North Carolina, Ohio, Minnesota, Tennessee, Georgia, Florida, and Virginia before Patty and Bob returned to Virginia to begin their civilian life.

Patty worked diligently both inside and outside the home, maintaining an immaculate household while raising their children and hosting countless squadron gatherings and neighborhood events. She held positions with Sears & Roebuck handling customer complaints, with the Social Security Administration assisting retirement annuitants, and later built a career in logistics and supply at MCAS Cherry Point, North Carolina, supporting vital aircraft and mission operations. At home she managed finances, kept the household running during Bob’s deployments, and created a warm and stable environment for her family. She hosted memorable dinners, nurtured friendships, and devoted herself to caring for children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren with both strength and tenderness. A woman of deep faith, she actively supported Baptist churches and causes in the Roanoke Valley and beyond.

Patty was preceded in death by her husband Bob, sons Dan and Randy, brother Jim, parents Cleve and Mary, and many dear friends and loved ones. She is survived by her sister, Judy Guthrie; her son Jody and his wife Debbie; six grandchildren, Bob, Katrina, Sarah, Travis, Jacob, and Taylor; and twelve great-grandchildren.