Bennie E. Cox

Bennie E. Cox, Sr., 72, of Benton Harbor, passed away peacefully in his home on Monday, February 6, 2006. A Celebration of Life Service will be held at 1:00 P.M Friday Kerley-Starks & Menchinger Family Funeral Home, 2650 Niles Rd., St. Joseph, with Rev. Ronnie Cox officiating. Burial will follow at Hagar-Lakeshore Cemetery. Friends may call from 6:00-8:00 P.M. Thursday, at the funeral home. Those wishing to share a memory or sign the guest book online may do so at www.starks-menchinger.com Bennie was born on February 25, 1933, to Rule and Minnie (Bewley) Cox in London, Arkansas. On September 23, 1956 he married Shelby Jean Birchfield in Hurnando, Missippi. He served in the National Guard from 1954 to 1961. He worked for Chet Nichols Auto Parts in the Glass Department from 1964 to 1971, and in1971 founded Cox Dry Wall. In 1994, he then retired leaving the business to his sons. Bennie served as the Pastor of Salem Missionary Baptist Church in Benton Harbor from 1986-1984. Bennie enjoyed gardening, camping, fishing, and had a passion for sand buggies and hill climbing with family and friends, at the Silver Lake Sand Dunes in Hart, MI, at which time he belonged to the Michigan Sports Buggy Association. He is survived by Shelby Jean Cox, his wife of 49 years; four children – Karen Cox of Escanaba, MI, Kim (Dale) Dansfield of Coloma, Brian (Marcy) Cox of Hartford, Bennie “BJ” (Monica) Cox, Jr. of Riverside; eight grandchildren-Chastity Wera, Nathan Pope, Jenna Cox, Whitney Cox, Brooke Heater, Joshua Cox, Cody Cox, Johnny Heater; four great grandchildren-Jacob, twins Cheyenne & Leanne, Corbin; twin sister Bonnie Coleman of Mulberry, Arkansas; and brother-in-law- Gary Birchfield of Benton Harbor. Bennie was preceded in death by his parents, two sisters & one brother.