Billie T. Cox

Ms. Billie Terry Cox , age 87, passed away peacefully at Timeless Grace Assisted Living in Carriere, MS on April 16, 2021.  For the last 4 years of her life, she was cared for by a loving staff at Timeless Grace.  Preceding her in death were her husband of 60 years, Col. Wallace G. Cox, US Army (retired), her parents, James Thomas Terry and Ula Kathleen Kilgore Terry, and three sisters, Dela Mae Hester Reid,  Jimmie Dee Simon and Betty Jo Holland.  She leaves behind three children, Lt. Col. Wallace G. Cox, Jr., US Army (retired) (Martha), of Carriere, MS, Carol Cox Moore (Scott) of  Carriere, MS and Cindy Cox Herzog (Richard) of Brentwood, TN.  She also leaves behind six grandchildren, Kahlee Moore, Shelby Moore, Brock Moore, Jessica Cox, Emily Herzog and Clay Herzog.

Funeral services will be 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday, April 21, 2021 at the Calvary Baptist Church in Batesville, MS with interment to follow at Forrest Memorial Park. The family will receive friends one hour prior to the service.

Billie was descended from early Mississippi settlers. Her family first appeared in the 1840 Mississippi census in Yalobusha County and in later censuses her family was in Calhoun County (Big Creek) where she was born on Feb. 8, 1934. Her parents moved the family to a homestead near Crowder, MS in 1935. She graduated from Crowder High School in 1952 where she met her husband. She became a Registered Nurse after attending a three year nursing program in Greenwood, MS.

She had a long and distinguished nursing career.  She worked at the Coahoma County Hospital in Clarksdale  (1955- 1964). Later she worked at the Student Health Center at Mississippi State University  (1964 – 1968), followed by serving as a school nurse in Huntsville, Alabama (1968 – 1970).  After a temporary break while living in Germany, she worked at Care Inn nursing home in Greenwood (1972 -1974) and later at Garden Park Hospital in Gulfport, followed by a long period with the Mississippi Department of Health in Harrison and Hinds counties.  She retired from state service with 33 years of service credit in 1991.

Billie was dedicated to her family, friends and church.  She played the piano beautifully and served as church pianist in numerous Baptist churches over the years ending with a 17 year period at Blue Lake Baptist Church in Crowder after she retired from nursing. She was a member of Roseland Park Baptist Church in Picayune at the time of her death.  She was dearly loved by a large extended family of nieces and nephews.  She held a strong faith in the Lord Jesus and has joined her husband, sisters and others rejoicing around the throne of God.