Estaline 'Essie' B. Cox

Estaline "Essie" Cox, 92, a resident of Cleveland, passed away Friday, January 22, 2010 at the family residence. At the time of her death she was the oldest member of New Friendship Baptist Church. She was a model quilter on the bicentennial poster painted by Billie Nipper in 1976. Mrs. Cox made quilts for people during the depression and enjoyed keeping in touch with all her school friends and other acquaintances. She and her husband made many friends while selling LifeTime Stainless Steel Cookware. She was known as the "Best Sales Lady" in Cleveland while working at Davies, Lawsons and The Style Shop. She also worked at Delta Manufacturing. Her greatest enjoyment was growing and canning vegetables, relishes, jams and jellies for the Farmers Market, where she had the opportunity to continue seeing and visiting with friends, especially Peuter Wooten and Lee Ross. She also spent time preparing food and visiting neighbors and friends who had sickness in their homes. Until her recent illness she was very active in church attendance, shopping, driving friends to appointments and visiting friends. She was preceded in death by her beloved husband of 63 years, Clinton Ennis Cox; parents, John and Lou Ella Wooten Ball; brothers: Jessie Ball, Alvin Ball, Bill Ball, Joe Ball and Ralph Ball and sister, Nellie Ball. Survivors include one son and daughter-in-law, Gene and Annetta Headrick Cox of Cleveland; one daughter and son-in-law, Mary Lou and the Reverend Terry Bowden of Radford, VA; six grandchildren: Joel and Holly Cox, Jason and Dawn Cox all of Cleveland, Andy and Kristy Cox of Etowah, Robin and Nate Ridgeway, Paul and Amie Bowden of Duluth, GA, Rebecca and Eric Myers of Apex, NC; great grandchildren: Keri Beth and Daniel Cox, Nathan and Abigail Ridgeway, Zachariah and Leah Bowden and Jacob and Hannah Myers; brother, Walter Ball of Cleveland; two sisters, Ita Lacy of Cleveland and Anna Ball White of Lookout Mt., and several nieces and nephews. Funeral services will be conducted at 1:00 p.m. Monday, January 25, 2010 in the chapel of Fike Funeral Home with Pastor Larry Bryant and the Reverend Terry Bowden officiating. Interment will follow in Cedar Springs Cemetery with Joel Cox, Andy Cox, Jason Cox, Paul Bowden, Ronnie Ball, and Gary Ball serving as pallbearers. Honorary pallbearers will be Peuter Wooten, Gene Lawson, Lee Ross and Tommy Benson. A white dove release ceremony will conclude the service. Her family will receive friends from 3-8 P.M. Sunday, January 24, 2010 at the funeral home. We invite you to send a message of condolence and view the Cox family guestbook at www.fikefh.com.