Sally J. Cox

Sally Jane (Fitzsimons) Cox was born on July 21, 1937, in Mineral Point, Wisconsin and died on July 2, 2024, in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, surrounded by family. She passed away peacefully after a long, well-fought battle with Parkinson’s disease. 

Sally was proud to have been a drum majorette and graduated from Hollandale High School in 1955. She obtained an Associate’s Degree in Education from the University of Wisconsin at Platteville. She met the love of her life, Richard Cox, at a local roller rink, and they were married more than 66 years ago on May 31, 1958. 

Sally taught in two different one room schoolhouses: Jonesdale, Wisconsin for one year and at Willow Creek School near Potosi, Wisconsin for one year, until she left to raise their five children and help on the farm. She eventually returned to be a special education teacher at Winskill Elementary in Lancaster, where she was devoted to all of her students for over 35 years. 

Sally was extraordinarily warm and passionately optimistic. She truly touched the lives of those around her. Countless former students and teachers fondly recall her authentic instruction and kind words. Sally loved to read, visit with friends and family, look through her photo albums, and was enthusiastic about traveling, as she vacationed in England, Scotland, Italy, Ireland, France, and Mexico. She was a fiercely devoted wife, mother, grandmother, and great grandmother. Sally truly was a force to be reckoned with, and she will be sorely missed. After being diagnosed with Parkinson’s, she bravely forged ahead and always made the best of the present moment. Willa Cather’s literary quote is particularly appropriate: “If there were no girls like them in the world, there would be no poetry.”

Sally is survived by her devoted husband, Richard Cox; her daughter, Rebecca Koechell of Oshkosh; daughter Lisa Cox (Sean Murphy) of Oshkosh, son James (Margaret) Cox of West Salem, son Michael (Lindsay) Cox of Vincent, Iowa, son Ryan Cox of Lee’s Summit, Missouri, her sister, Patricia (Carl) Schneider of Hollandale, her sister/travel companion, Susan Palcek of Hazel Crest, Illinois, ten grandchildren, five great grandchildren, many nieces and nephews, and three very special friends: Pam Critchlow, Sue Krause, and Doug Koechell. 

Sally was preceded in death by her parents, Russell and Florence (Chappell) Fitzsimons, and brother, James “Jake” Fitzsimons. 

A memorial service will be held on July 20, 2024—the day before what would have been Sally’s 87th birthday—at the Lancaster Congregational Church, 100 Cherry Street, at 12:00 p.m. with a luncheon to follow.