William Raquel Cox

William was born on July 10, 1934 in Colorado Springs, Colorado. He was the son of Rudolf Cox and Eleanor Stella Salazar. William also grew up in Colorado Springs with his brother Rudy and his sister Mary Jean. William was usually involved in all sorts of activities with his siblings and they shared many life experiences over the years.

A typical teenager, William had a fairly happy high school experience, making that critical transition from adolescence to adulthood. He graduated from St. Mary's High School in 1952. William was able to manage the balancing of being a new father, a Naval Officer and then went on to earn his degree in Geology from the University of Colorado in 1960.

At a young age, William met and fell in love with Anisa Mae Shamis and the couple happily exchanged wedding vows on August 31, 1957. The wedding ceremony was held in Valentine, Nebraska. William and Anisa were blessed with two children, a daughter, Julie Anne and one son, Michael. Empathic and loyal, William was committed to making his new family happy. He worked hard to be a good father to his children and he did his best to fulfill their needs. Later in life they received the joy of 7 grandchildren and 2 great-grandchildren.

William was a Navy Veteran. Through his hard work, he achieved the rank of EMP 3. He received several awards recognizing him for his service, including a National Defense Service Medal. Fortunately, William enjoyed what he did for a living. Showing a strong work ethic, William worked diligently and did his best to succeed. Working as a Quality Assurance Manager from 1961 – 1992, William always sought to be a team player, doing what was necessary in order to get the job done.

William enjoyed his leisure time by taking part in various hobbies. His favorite pursuits were hiking, theater, handy man work, budgeting, coin collecting, playing with his grandchildren and traveling. He was content to enjoy his favorite pastimes alone but was also willing to share his interests with others.

Though he never set out to gain individual recognition, William was given accolades for his many and varied accomplishments throughout his life. Some of his awards included an On Stage Productions Awards. He also involved himself various church activities.

William passed away on January 9, 2012 at San Diego, California. William died of complications due to Parkinson’s disease. He is survived by his wife Anisa S. Cox, his daughter Julie McBride and her spouse Greg, his son Michael and his spouse Stephanie, his grandchildren Marcus, Bryanna, Hayley, Gabriel, and Matthew and his spouse Marisol. Services were held at St. Pius Catholic Church in Chula Vista, California. William was laid to rest in Glen Abbey Memorial Park in Bonita, California.

Simply stated, William was a good and kind person, an individual who will for all time be remembered by his family and friends as being a caring and giving person, someone who was a vital part of their lives. William leaves behind him a legacy of life-long friendships and many cherished memories. Everyone whose life he touched will always remember William Raquel Cox.