Wesley Taylor Cox

September 16, 1957 – October 7, 2020

Wesley Taylor “Toby” Cox of Haltom City, died on the afternoon of October 7, 2020 in a tree trimming accident doing what he loved – serving his community and being outdoors. Toby had a larger-than-life personality. He was charming, kind, funny, intellectually curious and had a heart of gold! His passing leaves an unfillable hole in the hearts of those who loved him. Yet, we will all find comfort in the many great memories we have of him and all the “Tobyisms” we will carry forward.

In his early years he was a typical boy who enjoyed hanging out with friends, making mischief, pestering his older sister Mindy and playing football and basketball. Basketball was his sport. He would always say, “they wouldn’t give you five fouls if they didn’t want you to use them!”

Throughout Toby’s life he played many important roles: father, son, brother, nephew, uncle, cousin, friend, teacher, mentor, confidant, caregiver, and partner. After graduating from Texas State University, Toby had a variety of sales and service-oriented jobs, none of which he found completely fulfilling but they made it possible for him to spend time with his family which was important to him.

It was after a stroke he had the opportunity to go back to school and discover one of his two true callings in life – teaching. He reveled in the teachings of his master’s in education program where he came to truly understand the needs of elementary school children. He loved immersing himself in the science and psychology of teaching. He had a gift for helping the kids who were performing under grade level, struggling with learning disabilities, and otherwise being left behind. He had a knack for motivating the unmotivated. He was firm, funny, loving and a tremendous advocate for his students. And the kids loved him for it!

His second calling was landscaping and tree trimming. For him it was both a form of therapy and community service. Being outdoors was his happy place. A hard worker, Toby liked the physical aspects of the work and the space it provided to have a balance of alone time and interaction with others. His customers were like family in many ways. He took great pride in seeing to it that their yard needs were met. But he took it further caring for their hearts too. A large number of his clients were senior citizens with limited interaction with others. He took time to engage, listen and laugh with them. Even when he was not providing service he might call or drop by to check in on them or do something for them he knew they needed done but could not do for themselves. He was a servant in his core.

As a son, partner and cousin, nephew, uncle and friend, Toby was fiercely loyal. He cherished his closest relationships and was vocal about his love and appreciation for those closest to him. He was filled with gratitude for all of his blessings. When you would ask him how he was doing he would often respond, “better than I deserve!” And, sometimes, he would make a random call to say to you, “have I told you today that I love and appreciate you?”

The combination of his engaging personality, the fact he was well-informed about current affairs and was well-read made it possible for him to talk to anyone and for anyone to feel comfortable talking to him. He was a great conversationalist, listener, critical thinker, and advice giver. In many ways he was a very wise man. And in the ways he was not, he freely admitted his shortcomings and addressed them with good humor.

Toby was deeply committed to his most loyal supporter, friend and confidant – his mother Cathlene Cox. Protective of his mother, he was appreciative of those who were kind to her and had no tolerance for those who were not.

Several years ago, Toby met his true love, Liz Townsend. She brought so much peace, joy and balance to his life. Please keep Cathlene and Liz in your prayers as they grieve the loss of Toby. He took great joy in loving and serving them!

Toby enjoyed going to the movies and popcorn kisses with Liz, fishing, “stirring the pot” with humor, eating good food (he was a food moaner and savored every bite), and keeping the running jokes alive with his favorite people.

The family is asking for privacy at this time as they come to grips with this tragic loss. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to a children’s charity for the hungry or otherwise under-privileged or a charity of your choice.

Toby is preceded in death by his father Bill Cox and sister Mindy Turns. He is survived by his mother Cathlene Cox, partner Liz Townsend, daughters Katy and Abby Cox, nephews Bret and Taylor Larson, and numerous aunts, uncles, and cousins.

Toby will be cremated. Services will be held in the future. Condolences, photos and Toby stories can be sent to his mother Cathlene Cox and his sweetie Liz Townsend at 5717 Bonnie Wayne St., Ft. Worth, Texas 76117. The family appreciates your prayers and support.