Reflections

I am so proud and fortunate to be the daughter of Bill Cox. I really don’t need to list his attributes because everybody who knew him knows just what they were. He was the sweetest, kindest, most selfless person that you could ever meet. He delighted in people, he thought every- body he came into contact with was just lovely. He never had a bad word to say about anyone. He was almost child-like in his trust of people and there have been just a couple of occasions when that trust proved to be misplaced. It was with a very heavy heart that I had to explain that they were not quite what they seemed but even then he tried to explain their actions away and was able to forgive them like the true Christian he was.

I've been racking my brains trying to think of a negative thing to say about my Dad and the only thing I can come up with was that he could be stubborn. This was clearly demonstrated in the last few weeks of his life when he was planned to preach in Martin Way. It was thought then that he was suffering from pneumonia but he didn't want to let anyone down. "I'll be ok" - he said in his usual fashion and I knew it was pointless trying to talk him out of it. So he promised to wrap up well and off he zoomed in his mobility scooter so that nobody would feel let down. He always, always considered other people before himself.

Despite his terrible disability, he never complained. He was always in pain but he never let it show. I would nag him to take more painkillers but he would just say that he was ok, he didn’t want to get addicted. He was such a brave, brave man.

Our family have had so many lovely cards and letters. So many men- tioned how they would miss his smile ... That great big smile that lit up his whole face. But there was one line in one of these that summed up my Dad perfectly. It said: "You can be justly proud that your dad lived until he died".

Chris Ledger

Bill Cox