OBITUARY

Name:    Opal Bernice (Strickland) Cox

From:  The Daily Statesman, Dexter, Missouri
Date:  Monday, February 25, 2013  

Bernice Cox, daughter of the late Claude Strickland and Blanche Liley Strickland, was born on Sept. 25, 1934, in Hartsville, Mo., and died on Feb. 24, 2013, at the Saint Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau at the age of 78.

Mrs. Cox was a resident of Dexter, a member of the Dexter Church of Christ, and a volunteer with Southeast Health at Dexter Hospital Auxiliary. She received the Community Service Award from the state of Missouri in 2005, and was the first recipient of the Richland Teacher of the Year Award. She taught in the school district for 23 years.

Bernice was also a volunteer for the Area Agency On Aging, a volunteer with Elder's Community Outreach, and was the former president of the BPW.

On Dec. 19, 1953, she was united in marriage to George Cox in Maryland Heights, Mo. Mr. Cox survives at their home in Dexter.

Besides her husband, she is survived by one son, Jeffrey Cox of Dexter; two daughters, Sherry Alsup of Clarksville, Tenn., and Kimberly Lawrence of St. Louis, Mo.; two sisters, Janie Curry of St. Louis, Mo., and Lucille Duckworth of Albany, Ga.; and by seven grandchildren, Jeremy Cox, Jared Cox, Rory Cox, Kara Alsup, Matthew Alsup, Hannah Lawrence, and Collin Lawrence.

Besides her parents, she was preceded in death by one brother, Doyle Strickland, and one sister, Marie Bakker.

Visitation will take place at Rainey-Mathis Funeral Home in Dexter on Monday, Feb. 25, 2013, from 5 until 8 p.m.

Funeral services will be conducted on Tuesday, Feb. 26, 2013, at 11 a.m. in the Rainey-Mathis Funeral Chapel with Clyde Jacques officiating.