John Cox - Computer Operator

Found this Letter today - Lots of memories at the SOS...

Hi All

I have been extremely busy lately and not had time to add much to the blog... I will continue to add as I have time... I have a lot more stories.... If you would like to be notified when I post a new story let me know and I will setup the automatic notice....

As some you know... I am the Chairman of the Personnel Committee, Audio\Visual Committee and the Chairman of the Pastor Search Committee... We have 7 on the search committee plus the church secretary... We currently have 90 resumes to evaluate to get down to three candidates. I have a project plan and am working the plan.. Everything is going as planned and we are a week ahead of schedule... I fully understand that I am really on God's schedule and doing his plan, but it's nice to know that he is right there there with us. Please pray that I can keep the momentum up.

We vote on the intrum Pastor Sunday night. Dr. Weedman is a good man and Pastor, so I pray that the church body will vote him in.

Amelia birthday is tomorrow...

Cousins - Ella and Madelyn

This is the ship that Daddy was on to Cross over to Africa. The Thomas H. Barry...

Daddy left for Africa on December8, 1942.... arrived in Casablanca, North Africa on December 24th 1942. As per Daddy's writings " Our first air raid came after 1200 midnight on December 31. No one was hit in the company, although there was one man hit in the Battlalion. The Company dug their fox hole the following morning".

Can he Swim Yet

When I was young I remember going fishing as a family. Mom, daddy and the three girls. I remember one time going to a park with big trees and a lake, for some reason I think it was in Jacksonville. Daddy would take off and be gone fishing around the lake. I would stay with the girls and fish close to mom. Then one day it was just me and daddy going fishing. I don’t remember when, but I asked daddy why mom and the girls didn’t go fishing with us anymore. Daddy said that they only went to watch me, so that I didn’t fall in the water and drown. If you knew daddy this made perfect sense to him. Then I knew why he was after me to take swimming lessons. Once he knew that I could swim, he didn’t need anyone to watch me. I should tell you that I fell into the water a lot. I think that daddy missed the point of the family going together. I wish that he would have taken mom and the girls, it was a lot more fun and I liked being with the whole family.

The Big Band Sound of Spectrum

I played with these guys for over 10 years... we had a lot a fun...

Play movie to hear us.....

Lily at the Park

Summers at the river

Daddy told me stories of him living at the river during the summers when school was out. He showed me one time where they used to camp out and what I remember it more like a small stream. He said that it was something that his friends and him would do every year. He said that they mostly just ate fish and frogs. Daddy did not have a good home life and I think this was a way to get away. Daddy said that Aunt Dot and Uncle Ralf would give them food and he would work on farms to make money. I’m sure that grandma and grandpa Cox were OK with him being out of the house. Daddy said that his friends and him would catch a slow moving train in Auburn and ride the rails for a few days and then work their way back to Auburn. He said that they would go all over the central part of the United States. He said that they never had any problems. He said that a lot of older kids road the rails back when he was a kid. I think that daddy really enjoyed those times during the summers of his youth.

Get a Real Job by Age 35

When I was growing up and when I was an adult, Daddy would tell me that I needed to find a job with a pension by the time I was 35. He said that a person needed 30 years in a pension system so that they could retire at age 65. I always remember what he told me. When I left the Secretary of States office, I had around 10 years of retirement that I could have cashed in. Vicky and I decided to roll the money into a 401k, so that I could put it back into the State retirement if I ever returned. When I returned to State Government three and half years later I rolled that money back into my retirement. Well I’m not 65, but I do have 31 years at the state. If I retire at 65 I will have around 38 years at the State. Daddy had good advice on working and retirement.

Dylan and Sis Halloween Pictures and a Movie

Dylan

Hell on Wheels - Daddy's Map

This is the map that daddy got at the end of the war.. Daddy was in every campaign on the map.

Double click on map to view a larger size..
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DAWN

The Bull

I know that Daddy told me this story when I was young, because we were still hunting on Uncle Ralph’s land. Daddy said that when he was very young, him and Grandpa Cox were over at Uncle Ralph’s farm. Uncle Ralph was in the pasture , when all of a sudden a bull charged him and got him down on the ground. Daddy said that Grandpa Cox jump over the fence and grabbed the bull by the horns and pull him off of Uncle Ralph. Daddy said that Grandpa twisted the bulls neck so much that he though that it would break. Once uncle Ralph was up, Grandpa let the bull go. Daddy said that he knew that Grandpa Cox was strong, but he was amazed that he could subdue that big bull.

Daddy - Work History

Delbert Cox Work History


Peabody Coal Mine 58 Taylorville.......01/30/1950 to 01/26/1952
Peabody Coal Mine 10 Pawnee............ 01/26/1952 to 06/22/1953
Peabody Coal Mine 11 Taylorville....... 06/23/1953 to 01/20/1954
Peabody Coal Mine 10 Pawnee........... 01/22/1954 to 08/01/1980

Peabody Coal Mine 10 Pawnee Operator or Second man on the continuous miner from the time it came to Peabody Coal Mine 10 in 1957...

Peabody Coal Mine 10 Pawnee 1976 Boom Operator - Loading Coal into Train cars
Worked in the Coal mines for 35 years - Retired August 1, 1980


Worked at Saint John's Hospital for 3 years....

Worked for the American Telephone and Telegraph company for 1 year

Spend 4 years and 4 months in the Army

Sold Machinery for 2 1/2 years

From Debbie

Thank you for the sweet message on Stan and hearing his voice again. Yes, we will continue the work until the end of our days... because God is still with us and still in control. I am referring to Oasis. The church is growing and God is moving. Last Sunday was the first year anniversary of his death. I didn't preach because I knew I couldn't get through it. August has been a hard month for me. I was ordained 2times on Aug. 9th. (once by Elim and the other by the Mexican equivalent.) It was a bitter sweet day. On Aug. 16, Robbie and Pat Evans were with us. (Remember Robbie did the funeral.) Stan was in their wedding and we have been friends for 35 yrs. They preached at Oasis and also took Justin and I out to dinner the night before. Then on Aug. 23rd, we baptized 31 people. This was the first time I had done that. It was always Stan. Another bitter sweet event. And then last Sunday---- you could hear sobbing throughout the service. He is greatly missed by us.

One thing you forgot to mention on your blog...how much Stan loved. He loved me very much, and our kids. He loved Mexico and Mexicans. He loved his family and total strangers. Stan simply loved. You could mistreat him, betray him or anything else, and he still loved. I have seen him with a broken heart by unkind words, or unkind people, and after he cried, prayed, he loved again. The people in our church always say he HAD the fruit of the spirit in him ( Gal. 5:22) love, joy, peace, patience...etc. I learned a lot from him, lessons that I need now to continue in his steps.

I miss him terribly. I always will. And I will always love him......

From John - Debbie is right Stan loved her and the kids very much. Stan told me so several times when I talked to him those last weeks. One of the last conversations that I had with Stan was about Debbie and the kids. Stan was a loving husband, father, brother, cousin, friend, Pastor and man.

Dress up Day at Aunt Bonnie's

Stan At Living Faith

Stan

It’s been a year......

Stan was my Cousin, my Brother in Christ, and my friend. Stan and I go way back.... to the beginning. Stan and I were both born in 1952 and we both were drawn together because of the close family that we were blessed with. Stan told me that his earliest memories of me were at Aunt Alma’s on the porch. He said that I liked getting out in front of everyone to dance and act crazy. Stan said that I grabbed his arm and pulled him out to dance and act crazy in front of the family. My first memories of Stan is of us playing in Aunt Alma’s back yard. I can’t explain it, but I always felt that Stan and I were connected somehow. In our preteens we did things together, but always with the family. I remember a trip to Kentucky were we would walk around the farm and talk and talk. Then there was the gap of many years where I really don’t remember having much contact with Stan. Then one day Stan and Debbie walked into our White Hen Pantry on Sangamon. They just stopped by to say hi and tell us that they were heading to Language school so that they could be missionaries. That was beginning of a 20+ year relationship with Stan and Debbie. Over the years we saw their ministries touch thousands of people. Vicky and I always told Stan and Debbie that we were so grateful that they let us be part of something so wonderful and special. I am not one to talk on the phone, so Stan and my conversations were usually in the minutes not hours, but we both knew what the other was thinking. Our goal was to make sure that Stan and Debbie knew that they could count on us. We wanted to be consistent. I could go on and on, but I wanted to write about things I leaned about Stan.

God comes first.

The mission in the early years was based on establishing churches and training national Pastors in the work.

The mission in the later years was based on establishing a church and training nationals in the work.

Stan and Debbie were a team. He told me several times that he could not have done it without her.

The most important thing about supporting the mission was being consistent.

We (all that supported them) were directly involved in the work of bringing the lost to Christ.
Sometimes it makes more sense to send money than bring a large group down to do work.
He still liked Mel-O-Creme Donuts.

His heart was in Preaching the Word. Stan was very good at teaching God’s Word.

His heart was with the Mexican people. He truly loved them.
He was amazed at the number and generosity of the people that support their mission.
If you don’t have to, don’t go out after dark if you don’t speak Spanish.

Mexican’s are warm and friendly people.

American health care is to expensive.

Mexican health care is good. Stan trusted the Mexican health care.

Don’t take good cars across into Mexico unless you have someone that speaks Spanish with you.

Mexico was the most import United States allies. Good relationships with Mexico was important to our security. More US companies needed to build factories in Mexico.

Stan was a conservative. He believed in traditional values.
He always wanted to live in Mexico.

He was very proud that Mexico was sending out missionaries to other countries.

Sometimes he put his life on the line, but he felt that God was always in control.

Stan was a deep thinker, you could tell from watching Stan that he took it all in and then spoke.
The last couple of times that I spoke with Stan
Stan told me that he was very proud of his kids.
Stan told me that the time he got to spend with the kids was very special, a blessing from God.

Stan told me that the time he got to spend with his sisters was very special.
Stan told me that he was not afraid to die, he was afraid that he would let people down, not being able to finish the work..
Stan told me that God was in control.
Stan told me that Mexico was his home and that is where he always wanted to be.
Stan was concerned about his loved ones salvation. If you read this and have not accepted Jesus as you savor, please take time to ask him into your heart. That was Stan's number one mission.

Stan told me that he loved me... that was special to me.

.

Stan’s mission continues and is growing. Stan said that he would continue his mission in Mexico until the day he died, and he did. Generations of Mexicans will talk about Stan Hopwood and how his and Debbie’s mission lead their loved ones to Christ.

First Day at School Pictures and Farmer Dylan