Obituary of Hila Elizabeth Cox

Hila Beth Cox, 93, of Iowa City, died Thursday, January 10, 2013, at Crestview Nursing and Rehab Center in West Branch. Funeral services will be held at 10:30 am Friday, January 18, 2013, at the First Presbyterian Church in Iowa City followed by a reception in the fellowship hall of the church. Graveside services will be held at 3pm Friday at the Hopkinton Cemetery. Remembrances in her name may be given to Camp Courageous in Monticello, Iowa or the Iowa City First Presbyterian Church Choir. Online condolences may be sent for her family through the web @ www.gayandciha.com. Hila Beth Cox (Hila Elizabeth Reeve Cox) was born on a very snowy day at her family home in Hopkinton, Iowa on November 1, 1919 to Harrison M. and E. Pearl Miller Reeve. She was educated in the Hopkinton Schools and graduated from Hopkinton High School in 1936. After graduating from Lenox Junior College in Hopkinton in 1938, she attended Monmouth College in Monmouth, Illinois and graduated in 1940 with a bachelor's degree in vocal music. Immediately after graduating, she joined the vocal trio, "April, May and June" and went to New York City where they twice appeared on "Major Bowes Radio Amateur Hour." From 1941-1943, she taught vocal music for grades 1-12 at Letts, Iowa Consolidated Schools where she also met coach and co-teacher John Bridgeford Cox. After their marriage, their travels took them to Parkersburg, La Moille, Mapleton, (two years in Winston, Oregon), Mount Vernon, finally arriving in Iowa City, Iowa in the summer of 1960. During her life, wherever she lived, she enjoyed music in many capacities; as a teacher, choir director, piano teacher, soloist and/or choir member—participating in church music for over 55 years. In Iowa City, Hila Beth belonged to the First United Methodist Church for 30 years before then joining the First Presbyterian Church in 1992. She was active in Chapter HI of PEO, Church Women's Circles, Reader's Theatre, University Book Club, Kappa Kappa Gamma, Charter Club, Music Study Club of Iowa City and worked over 4,000 hours as a volunteer at Mercy Hospital. She also worked for the Iowa City School District for ten years and the University of Iowa's Planning and Placement Office for nine years. She loved researching her family history and completed an extensive genealogy of her Miller and Reeve relatives—the result of many years of correspondence with people from all over the country. She also loved to swim, visit friends, sing, play the piano, read, travel, square dance and ballroom dance. Hila Beth was particularly gratified that her children carried on the three generations of love and talent for music and the arts. Hila Beth had a great sense of humor. This, coupled with her overall resilience in the face of any obstacles she faced, was important to her throughout her life. Hila Beth's family includes her daughter, Caren Elizabeth Cox of Iowa City, her son, Jeffrey Reeve Cox and his husband William Gerald Love of Belchertown, Massachusetts; nieces Susan Shimmin, Jane Triplett, Lori Block, Holly Miller, Becky LaCombe; nephews John Shimmin, Leslie Cox, Kevin Vidergar, and Dick Shipman. Remembrances in her name may be given to Camp Courageous in Monticello, Iowa or the Iowa City First Presbyterian Church Choir. Gay & Ciha Funeral and Cremation Service is caring for Hila Beth's family and her services.