Joseph Ward Cox

Joseph Ward Cox, age 87, passed away on Friday, December 24, 2021. Born in Wayne County, Indiana on April 19, 1934, he was a long time resident of Richfield, Ohio.

After leaving life as a dairy farmer, Ward worked as an Ironworker and owned and operated his construction company until he retired from Ironworkers Local 17 in 1997. One of his great pleasures in life was to teach skills to others that they could use in life. For five years he was Scoutmaster of BSA troop 379 where he spent many hours teaching young men from Bath and Richfield how to camp, tie knots, cook over a fire, survive in the wilderness, have fun and to tell a good story. He was an active member of the Agriculture Preservation Association of Cuyahoga County (The Tractor Club) and the Cuyahoga County Farm Bureau. Ward was known as “The Tractor Guy”. He restored vintage tractors and repaired small and large tractors for many in the area. He passed on knowledge and love of tractors and their engines to many folks. Among them were his son Jimmy, his nephew Bryan, and his neighbor and apprentice James. He drove his vintage tractors in parades in Ohio and Indiana. Ward, and Nancy, opened their home to a number of young people that they consider to be family members. Ward was a generous soul and did not know the word “no” if someone was in need. The most important lesson he would impart to others is to be a good friend, as he was a good friend to his friends.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Charles and Mae Cox, seven brothers and two sisters and his beautiful daughter Janet Cox Appleby. He is survived by his wife of sixty-eight years, Nancy J (Burns) Cox, his children Joyce Allene Cox, Joseph (Lori) Cox, Julia (Andy) Johnson, James (Wendy) Cox, John (Janet) Appleby, Debi (Wayne) Kaminski, and Sandra Molnar. He will be forever missed by his grandchildren Kimberly Petruccio, Corie Kaminski, Daniel Esposito, Joshua (Rachel) Cox, Matthew (Kate) Cox, Jessica (David) Williams, Sarah (Lucas) Miller, Savana (Lucas) Figuero, Marissa Appleby, Michael Johnson, Kyle Appleby, and Cidne Ayers and his great grandchildren Brandyn, Lani and Logan Petruccio, Roxanna and Olen Williams, Shawn and Eliana Miller and Clara and Alice Cox. He is survived by his sister Alma McClurg of Tennessee and also those who loved him Karen Alfather, Matt Anderson, Penny and Andy Anderson, Mark Tibbs, Tom and Pat Jackson, James and Kyla Valentine, the Clair family, the Benson family, and Jean Nye and her family, and so many more.

Memorial Services will be held later in the year.

At his request, please consider making remembrances to the Richfield Firefighters Association, 4450 W. Streetsboro Rd. Richfield, Ohio 44286. 

Services in care of The Billow Funeral Homes and Crematory, Fairlawn Chapel, 85 N. Miller Road  Akron, OH  44333.

To send flowers to the family, please visit our floral store.