Richard K. Coxen, 84, of Fitzgerald, died Friday, November 15, 2013, at the Carl Vinson V.A. Medical Center in Dublin.
Funeral services will be held at 3 PM, Monday, November 18, 2013, at First Baptist Church in Fitzgerald with the Rev. Dr. Mike Ruffin and the Rev. Robert Couey officiating. Rick Ellis will give the eulogy. Interment will follow in Evergreen Cemetery with full military honors. The family will receive friends from 7-9 Sunday evening at the funeral home in Fitzgerald.
Mr. Coxen was born March 5, 1929, in Red Lion, Pennsylvania to the late Jacob Eugene Coxen and the late Bertha Malehorn Coxen Stough. He was raised by his mother and stepfather: Chester Stough. Mr. Coxen joined the Army and later the Air Force, retiring as a highly decorated Tech Sergeant, after honorably serving our country for over 26 years. He served during three different conflicts including World War II, Korea, and Vietnam. He was a prisoner of war during the Korean War and during his career received many awards and commendations including: a Silver Star, a Bronze Star, two Purple Hearts, and the Air Force Commendation Medal. He was a member of the Mars McDonald Post 99, American Legion. Following his retirement, Mr. Coxen moved to Fitzgerald in 1973 from Blytheville, Arkansas. He also retired from civil service as a hazardous materials manager at Robins Air Force Base. He formerly worked as a patrolman for the Fitzgerald Police Department and served as the building and grounds maintenance supervisor for First Baptist Church for many years. A longtime member of First Baptist Church, Mr. Coxen was a deacon, a member of the Baracca Sunday school class and served on the American Red Cross Disaster Response Team. He loved to fish and landscape, especially flowers.
He is survived by his wife of 61 years: Shirley Reeves Coxen of Fitzgerald; children and their spouses: Laurie & C.A. Smith of Magee, Mississippi, Sherry & Rick Ellis of Irwin County, Kenneth & Janet Coxen of Dublin, Cyndee & William Smallwood and Stephanie & LaRue Stanfill, all of Fitzgerald; grandchildren and their spouses: Stephen (Jennifer Serafin) Coxen, Lindsay & Shane Conger, Ryan & Leslie McDonald, Dr. Tiffany & Tyler Thomas, Whitney & Michael Wallace, Katie & Tyler Griffin, Christy & Ben Jacobs, Brittany & Marc Milton, Jessica Stanfill, and Jacob Stanfill; 11 great-grandchildren; a sister: Esther & George Prouse of Kannapolis, North Carolina; and sisters-in-law: Barbara Coxen of Kings Mountain, North Carolina, Betty Sims of Fitzgerald, Martha & Fred McDowell of Eagles Landing, Vicki Harris of Fitzgerald, Peggy Reeves of Marietta, and Dot Reeves of Louisville, Kentucky. He is also survived by several aunts, uncles, and cousins in Pennsylvania. In addition to his parents and step-father, he was preceded in death by a brother: Gene Coxen and a grandson: Austin Smith.