George W. Cox

B.J. was born in Macon, Georgia December 27, 1971 to George William (Billy) Culpepper Jr. and Bonnie Marie (Modena) Culpepper and briefly lived there and Atlanta before his family moved to Rome. He attended Johnson Elementary School and graduated from Model High School in 1990. He was a gifted athlete, playing football and baseball from an early age and throughout his high school career. He played on Model’s varsity football team for four years as a running back and defensive back. B.J. loved making touchdowns and loved playing football with his friends. B.J. attended college at Floyd College before starting his landscape business in Rome.

B.J. saw the growing self storage market and started Rome Storage, known locally as Safe Storage, in 1996 soon after he and Mandi married, while also working for Martin’s Real Estate. His passion for real estate development kept him always looking for new locations, and he grew his business from building his first Safe Storage location on Dean Street, to three Safe Storage locations throughout Rome. B.J. was a big picture thinker who loved helping people, and he was always thinking of ways to make life more efficient for everyone. He tried to do that in business as well as in his life. He and his family attended First Presbyterian Church, where he developed relationships with friends and mentors. He enjoyed regular lunches with his spiritual mentors, with conversations that enriched and deepened his faith. B.J. was active in helping local charities and was passionate about giving back to the community. B.J. was a devoted husband and loving father; everything he did was for his wife and children who he loved more than anything in the world.

He was blessed to be loved by a group of friends who were closer than brothers. B.J., Dusty Mulkey, Sam Echols, Shannon Marion, and Chris Cromer became friends in elementary and high school; they stayed close after high school and beyond, as each would settle down and get married. They began taking annual summer trips together in 2000 to honor their friend, Chris Cromer, who passed away in June of that year.

B.J. is survived by his wife of over 21 years, Mandi Martin Cox; three children, Brandon Chase Cox, Isabella Parka Cox, and Christian Martin Cox; mother, Bonnie Modena Cox; father, Billy Culpepper; aunts, Beverly Culpepper, of Atlanta, and Mary Kathryn Modena, of Macon; mother-in-law, Margaret Martin; father-in-law, Larry Martin; sister-in-law, Missy Martin Mathis and her husband Jay Mathis, of Bradenton, Florida; Sister-in-Law, Vanessa Ray Martin, of Rome; brother-in-law, Mike Martin; many nieces and nephews, including Lauren Gilmore, Hanna Martin, Austin Martin, McKay Mathis, Cole Mathis, Ellis Mathis, Jake Mathis, Emmi Grace Mathis, Elliott Mathis; a great nephew, Eli Mathis (Cole and Sarah);and cousins, including Melanie Wilder, Michael Modena, Shannon Batts and Garrett Batts, B.J. was preceded in death by his Father, William Thomas (Tommy) Cox of Cartersville; his grandparents, George William Culpepper Sr, Vera LuNelle (Hobby) Culpepper and Pete and Bertha (Hattaway) Modena of Macon.

A memorial service will be held Saturday, August 18, 2018 at 2:00 P.M. at Daniel’s Funeral Home with Reverend Jeff Chadwick officiating. The family will receive friends prior to the service from 1:00 P.M. until 2:00 P.M. also at Daniel’s Funeral Home.

In lieu of flowers please make memorial contributions to Heyman Hospice Care, 420 East 2nd Avenue, Rome, GA. 30161.