Baker City, Oregon
Helen Shirley Leach Cox, 82, a former Baker City resident, died July 16, 2004, at the Royal Vista Care Center in Ellensburg, Wash.
Her graveside funeral will be at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday at the Hagerman Cemetery. There will be a memorial service later in the Seattle, Wash., area. Demaray Funeral Chapel of Gooding, Idaho, is in charge of arrangements.
Helen was born on Sept. 11, 1921, at Jerome, Idaho, to Fred and Nettie Leach. She was the only girl in a family with five brothers. She attended public school at Hagerman and played basketball on the Hagerman High School team.
Her team won the state tournament, which earned the players a trip to Los Angeles. After high school, she attended cosmetology school and became a beauty operator.
She will always be remembered for her kindness to others and for being a diligent worker at all she attempted. Last year’s outstanding accomplishment was receiving an award from the Hospice Association for outstanding service. She made 200 hospice gowns in one year.
Her most treasured times were being with family. She also enjoyed her church activities and attended many Bible study sessions. Her friends were very important to her.
Being creative and artistic were characteristics of her personality. She enjoyed painting and also was an avid seamstress. Crocheting, knitting, gardening, baking and reading were her hobbies.
Her father, Fred Leach, was a professional baseball player, and she also was athletic. She enjoyed fishing and spent a great deal of time following the Seattle Mariners baseball team.
She married Reed Cox at Medford. They had three children. She later married Sonny Floyd of Bliss, Idaho, and they had a son.
Survivors include her children and their spouses, Anita and John Remple of Ellensburg, Wash., William Cox of Edmonds, Wash., Kenneth and Deborah Cox of Mill Creek, Wash., and Don and Sophina Floyd of Lake Stevens, Wash.; grandchildren, Mike Matthews of Talkeetna, Alaska, Angela McNair of Denver, Kristine Hale, Cynthia Cox and David Cox of Huntington Beach, Calif., Scott and Kendall Floyd of Winterhaven, Fla., and Kendle Nunez of Lake Stevens, Wash.; seven great-grandchildren and two more expected soon; two brothers, Ted Leach of Orofino, Idaho, and Ray Leach of San Antonio, Texas.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Nettie and Fred Leach of Hagerman; and brothers, Clark, Dan and Gene Leach.
Used with permission from: Baker City Herald, Baker City, Oregon, July 23, 2004
Transcribed by: Belva Ticknor