Florence Evelyn Badger Cox
Aug. 24, 1924 - March 5, 2023

Evelyn was born in Okemah, Oklahoma to Nola Frances Hyde Badger and Guy Edwin Badger. She was the longest-lived of eight siblings, reaching the age of 98 years and six months. On March 5, 2023 at her home in the presence of her family, she passed into her heavenly home.

After graduating high school, Evelyn attended college at Oklahoma State University in Stillwater, Oklahoma for two years. In 1945, she married Lee Cox and their first years of marriage were spent in Iowa City, Iowa where Lee was attending dental school while enlisted in the Navy.

After dental school, while still in the Navy, they moved several times, living in Texas, Guam, California and Japan and finally settling in Eureka in January, 1961 where Lee continued to practice dentistry for many years. Evelyn was his chair-side assistant from time to time through those years, so she knew a lot about teeth and dentistry. (Lee and Evelyn had one baby, John, who was born with two teeth — a rare phenomenon, especially for a dentist’s baby. An associated press photo of Lee and John went all over the world.) Evelyn and Lee were able to celebrate 58 wedding anniversaries together before his passing into heaven in March, 2004.

Evelyn and Lee were loving parents, grandparents and great-grandparents and took every opportunity to babysit or to help out family and friends in any way they could. Over the years they made many trips to Disneyland, taking 1 grandchild a year until most of them had been able to go. Evelyn taught some of her grandchildren how to read, took them to church, took them out to eat, watched movies and played games with them. Her house was the hub for every family get-together.

Evelyn was a cheerful, friendly, generous, wise, thoughtful and gracious person with a dry witty sense of humor. She was a good mother, a good friend and a good neighbor, always offering her help. She was dearly loved by her family and friends.

Evelyn took great joy in nature, loved flowers and birds (especially hummingbirds), the pets around her, Yosemite, etc. Her very favorite flower was a rose, “Just Joey” (which bore the name of one of her grandsons). Evelyn also loved coffee and was rarely ever without a cup in her hand. Her favorite color was yellow, echoing her sunny disposition. Being a beautiful woman of fashion in the 50’s and 60’s, one of her favorite “colors” was the leopard print.

Evelyn was a perennial student, reading and learning about many subjects, including: Christianity, history, politics, health, nutrition, art, computer technology, etc and collected many books on many subjects. She took classes including a painting class and painted many paintings which included family and friends in casual portraits.

Being interested in home decorating, she opened a design business in Eureka in the 1960s (Evelyn’s House of Fine Furniture). As a life-long learner, later in life, Evelyn learned how to use computers, a digital single lens reflex camera and an iPad. She took and printed many photos.

Evelyn loved Jesus and was a member of the First Baptist Church in Eureka, which she attended and supported for over 50 years. She shared God’s love through her kindness and generosity. When her children were teenagers, she was the leader of the church youth group. She was involved in the “Young Life” and “Eagle’s Nest” activities for teens. In later years, due to her interest in photography, she became the unofficial photographer for church activities and events for many years.

Evelyn was also interested in helping her community and became involved in several community programs. For a time, she, with other Christians, regularly visited and shared God’s love with the inmates at the Humboldt County jail. She taught reading to people through the Humboldt literacy project and through this organization, she made dear friends in the local Hmong community.

Evelyn and Lee had four children — Kitty and Michael Hugo, Susan Cox, John and Gigi Cox and Roger and Linda Cox; eight grandchildren- John, Jack, Kari, Katey, Ryan, Aaron, Andrew and Joey; and 11 great grandchildren- Keani Mia, Kameron, Avery and Austin, Jackson, Elle Rose, Aidan, Malakai, David, Dean and Lydia.

Her extended family includes Linda Cox’s four children- Rachyl and Jonathan, Jessica and Kearnon, Ryan and Hannah, and Jenny; and Linda’s eight grandchildren: Phoenix, Lian, Avery, Thane, Emily and Emma, Weston and Hudson.

Evelyn is survived by numerous nieces and nephews and their families:

• Badger Family: Brenda, Sara, Deven & Lynn & Asha, Anjali, Bill
• Helt Family: Carol, Ruth, Ken & Nelda
• Cox Family: Ann & Mark & Amy, Dan & Mary, Dee, Charlotte, Jane, Wayne, & Fred
• Family Friends: Lorna and Doris Jean of Iowa, Jeanette & Marcia, Lei & Bien, Raj & Donna

She is also survived by dear friends from the First Baptist Church in Eureka, including the “Blitz Girls” and her good friend, Cassie Wyland.

Evelyn was able to stay in her own home for the last four years with the help of her children and grandchildren, including her wonderful, caring, selfless and devoted sons and daughters-in-law, John & Gigi Cox and Roger & Linda Cox.

A celebration of Evelyn’s well-lived life will be held on July 14, 2023 at 1pm at the Eureka First Baptist Church, at Del Norte and E Streets in Eureka.

Evelyn is interred along side her husband, Lee, at Ocean View Cemetery in Eureka. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Eureka First Baptist Church.

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