Ruth Eileen Cox, 68, of Blacksburg, died Monday, August 7, 2017, at her home. She was born in Sarasota, Florida, on August 19, 1948. She was preceded in death by her father, Stephen Ball.
She is survived by her husband, Curtis Cox; daughter, Rebecca Rathburn and husband Jacob Kennedy; son, Clay Rathburn; stepson, Curtis Cox Jr. and wife Michelle; mother, Yvonne (Billy) Ball; three grandchildren, Hannah Cox, Bryce Cox and Maeve Kennedy; sister Kathleen Reno; three brothers, Mike Ball and wife Flo, Pat Ball and wife Judy, Charlie Ball and wife Nana.
Ruth was a proud Hokie having graduated from Virginia Tech’s Pamplin Business College with a degree in accounting.
Ruth had a lifelong love for dance and when she moved to Craig County, Va., from Florida, she found a new love for the mountains. Having combined these two great passions of her life she opened a dance studio in New Castle. There she developed and fostered many deep and lifelong friendships among both pupils and parents.
Later Ruth lived in the Kansas City, Mo., area and worked at Cohen-Esrey as Chief Financial Officer until she retired. Ruth and Curtis worshipped at Gashland United Methodist Church and enjoyed the many activities with the Village of Oaks homeowners association. She enjoyed many deep and blessed friendships made and fostered in Kansas City, but she never stopped missing the mountains. Ruth was delighted to return home to Blacksburg in 2016 and was planning to travel during her retirement.
The high point of Ruth’s professional career was her years at Leisure Publishing. Having developed many relationships that were more like family than co-worker. She enjoyed the privilege of working for Richard Wells of Leisure Publishing, publishing company, whom she always held in the highest regard and esteem.
Ruth’s life was a living expression of her deep and abiding faith in Jesus the Christ. Her light of truth and grace was always bright and clear, not to be shaded or hidden. She and her husband were foster parents with the DePaul Family Services, and worked in Kansas City as volunteers at the Lazarus Table ministries.
A visitation will be held from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. today at McCoy Funeral Home chapel. After the visitation Johnny Lauthrige will lead a Celebration of a Life in Christ well lived and a love of Christ well shared.
In lieu of flowers, Ruth requested donations to Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston, Mass., also known as the Jimmy Fund. Arrangements by McCoy Funeral Home, Blacksburg.
