John William David Cox

John William David Cox, 86 passed away peacefully at Covenant Village Care Center in Plantation, FL on Saturday, June 22, 2013. He is survived by his loving present wife of nine years, Ruth Kemp Cox. Born in Toronto, Ontario, Canada he grew up playing hockey, lacrosse and soccer. He attended MacMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario to study law at the same time working at the Steel Company of Canada, a division of Firestone of America. The Lord re-directed his life to attend London Bible Institute and Theological Seminary in London, Ontario and study to be a pastor. Upon graduation, he and his wife June moved to Arizona to his first pastorate in Gila Bend. From there is served as pastor in Cottonwood, AZ and then La Mirada, CA. In La Mirada he coached the first soccer team at Biola College. His hobby also included officiating college football, umpire for baseball and refereeing basketball games. He is a long time fisherman and loved to fish whenever he could. He was always complaining he never had enough time to fish. In 1964 he went back to London Theological Seminary to study estate planning and worked for Moody Bible Institute and Narramore Christian Foundation in their stewardship department. In 1968, worked brought him to Boca Raton, FL. Then, in 1979, he accepted the pastoral call of First Baptist Church in Boca Raton and served the church for 12 years. He served his community as Chaplin for the Boca Raton Police Department, the Days Inn of Deerfield Beach and was a long standing member of the Rotary Club. After retiring, he and his wife June served as a Chaplin ~ wife team for over 25 trips for the Holland America Cruise Line. When June died suddenly in 2003, he married long time family friend, Ruth Kemp and they spent the last 9 years exploring the world through yearly cruises.

He is survived by his daughter Joanna (Cox) Mueller and son-in-law Ray from Boca Raton; granddaughter Christina and husband Jason, great-grandchildren; Megan, Caitlin, Nathan, Benjamin, Christian, Gracyn and Ellison; granddaughter Michele and husband Adam and great-grandson Hudson; grandson PJ and wife Rochelle, great-grandchildren Cali and Jacob and grandson Timothy and wife Noemi and great-grandson Gabriel. He is also survived by his son Rev. John Cox and his wife Cathy from Winter Park, FL; granddaughter Rachel and husband Chris and new great-grandbaby Piper Hope; granddaughter Jaunel; grandson Evan and wife Mandy and great-granddaughter Penelope and grandson Isaac.

Funeral Service will be held 12:00 p.m. Sunday, July 7, 2013 at Slate Mountain Presbyterian Church officiated by Pastor Jeff Dalton. Family will receive friends from 11:30 a.m. to12:00 prior to the funeral. Interment to follow in Slate Mountain Cemetery. In lieu of flowers donations can be sent to the Haggai Institute in Norcross, GA.