Dorothy Cox Obituary

Dorothy (Davis) Cox

Jun 2, 1925 - Jan 10, 2026

Clyde

Dorothy (Davis) Cox was born in Cleveland to Ben H. and Mamie (Kautz) Davis on June 2, 1925 and died January 10, 2026 at her longtime home in Clyde. She was the eldest of 10 children, Marian Pfeiffer (William), Barbara Eberly (Donald), Lenore O'Harrow (John), Janet Hayward (Gordon), C. Jean Butz (Alton), Joyce Baker (Lamar), Ben Edward (Rebecca), Thomas (Barbara), and Diane Deken (Richard). She is survived by Lenore, and Diane; brothers-in-law, Richard and Lamar; and sister-in-law, Barbara.

A graduate of Clyde High School, she received her B.F.A. from Miami University (Ohio) in 1947, with additional coursework elsewhere. She taught elementary art at Clyde schools from 1967 to 1988.

She was married to William L. Cox from October 10, 1953, until his death in 1991. She was also predeceased by her son, Randall, and a grandson, Joseph. Her daughters, Dorothy (Adolfo Cabral), Ellen Behrens (Robert Craig), Mary Louann Cruze (Bari) and daughter-in-law, Susan Caulfield, survive, as well as six grandchildren, 12 great-grandchildren, and numerous descendants of her siblings.

In addition to teaching many Clyde children about art and artists, Dorothy shared her talents with her community in other ways, ranging from designing ephemera for local events to methodically photographing Clyde buildings for reference in drawings, many of which are on display at the public library or in Clyde homes. She also had a deep connection to local history and wrote several books about Clydeites, most notably Karl Anderson, An Artist and his World, donating the copyrights to the Clyde Museum.

Dorothy believed in the importance of kindness, staying informed, voting, and newspaper subscriptions, even if only for the obituary page. No services have been planned, as her 100th birthday celebration served as a tribute to her life.

She chose to donate her body to the University of Toledo Medical Center for anatomical research. Memorial donations will be appreciated by Clyde Back Door Food Pantry, 803 McPherson Highway, Clyde, OH 43410.