Obituary for McKee Cox (Pitts)
On March 12, 2021, at Mercy Hospital Fort Smith at the age of 91, McKee Pitts Cox left this life and her tired, failing body and her soul was set free, unencumbered by age, disease, or weakness.
McKee was born January 7, 1930, in Fort Smith, Arkansas, to Osgood Pitts, Jr. and Edna McKee Pitts. After graduating from Fort Smith High School in 1947, she attended Sophie Newcomb College.
While attending Sophie Newcomb College, McKee Pitts met, and subsequently married, Robert Lee Cox in 1950. She later completed her undergraduate and masters at the University of Arkansas. She also earned 15 hours in the field of special education. Even so, she was wise beyond her education.
She was a teacher to hundreds, mentor to many. Numerous lives have been touched by the concern and desire for the best for her students that marked her teaching career. This willingness to be a mentor and advocate led to her eventual tenure as the Department Chair of Special Education at Northside, and the Teacher of the Year award, before retiring from teaching in 1990.
McKee belonged to PEO, was a charter member of Chapter AU in Pine Bluff, AR and past president of Chapter AD in Fort Smith, AR. She was also a member of Pi Beta Phi. She attended First Methodist Church. In addition to her professional and philanthropic affiliations, she served as Girl Scout leader, homeroom mom, Sorority Mother and numerous other capacities that involved her children.
Most of McKee’s life was lived at 701 Lecta Avenue where her family moved when she was 4 years old. Many of her grandchildren have lasting memories of summers spent with Grandma.
While she accomplished much in life, remember this:
She could do, build, sew, mend, or heal anything thrown at her. She could put in a full day’s work, outshop anyone, work a crossword puzzle, mow the yard, sew a prom dress, and heal a boo-boo, all before dinner, which you could hope was pizza delivery, because although there was very little she couldn’t do, cooking was a skill she never mastered. She had a fabulous sense of humor – her one-liners were legendary. She loved fiercely, and there was nothing she wouldn’t do for those who were fortunate enough to be on the receiving end of that love. If she was hurt, sad, or scared, no one would ever see it, although if anyone else was, she was a pillar of strength and a soft place to land. She was always encouraging and saw the best in everyone, even when the best was difficult to find. She was a woman of faith and found strength through God, but she did so quietly and without imposition.
She loved red-orange maple trees, daisies, and big, flashy costume jewelry. She enjoyed reading, crossword puzzles, Wheel of Fortune, and watching Maksim Chmerkovskiy shirtless on Dancing with the Stars. She was afraid of nothing, with the exception of “those jumpy spider things” sometimes found under her carport. She was tough and strong, and soft and kind all at the same time, and for those of us who were fortunate enough to have loved her, her passing will leave a marked void, as well as a legacy of love, kindness, and strength that we can only hope to one day closely mimic ourselves.
McKee is survived by her 3 children, Caroline Meyers, Elizabeth Nelson, and Robert Cox (Karla); 8 grandchildren, Elizabeth McCoy (Tim Cline), Amanda Iwama (Matt), Jaime Meyers, Susannah McKee James (Jesse), Michael Nelson, Sean Cox, Valeria Cox, and Vanessa Cox; 11 great-grandchildren, Anthony McKee Martin, Logan Martin (Erica), Alexander Dumas (Taylor), Hayden Dumas, Olivia McKee Iwama, Sophia Iwama, Isaac Iwama, Jonah Iwama, Augustus Iwama, Elijah McKee Meyers, and Lillian McKee James; and 8 great-great-grandchildren, Tristan Martin, Nathalie Martin, Luna Martin, Kylee Sallis, Hannah McKee Martin, Hadley Martin, Vaden Dumas, and Brantley Dumas. To her, these four generations left to carry on her legacy and her name were her “Greatest Accomplishments.” She is also survived by her brother, Bill Pitts.
She was preceded in death by her husband Robert Lee Cox; her parents, Osgood and Edna (McKee) Pitts.
A family held memorial service celebrating her life will be held on Wednesday, June 30th at 11:00 A.M. at First United Methodist Church in Roebuck Chapel with Rev. Bud Reeves officiating.
Condolences may be sent to 701 Lecta Avenue, Fort Smith, Arkansas, 72901.
McKee was born January 7, 1930, in Fort Smith, Arkansas, to Osgood Pitts, Jr. and Edna McKee Pitts. After graduating from Fort Smith High School in 1947, she attended Sophie Newcomb College.
While attending Sophie Newcomb College, McKee Pitts met, and subsequently married, Robert Lee Cox in 1950. She later completed her undergraduate and masters at the University of Arkansas. She also earned 15 hours in the field of special education. Even so, she was wise beyond her education.
She was a teacher to hundreds, mentor to many. Numerous lives have been touched by the concern and desire for the best for her students that marked her teaching career. This willingness to be a mentor and advocate led to her eventual tenure as the Department Chair of Special Education at Northside, and the Teacher of the Year award, before retiring from teaching in 1990.
McKee belonged to PEO, was a charter member of Chapter AU in Pine Bluff, AR and past president of Chapter AD in Fort Smith, AR. She was also a member of Pi Beta Phi. She attended First Methodist Church. In addition to her professional and philanthropic affiliations, she served as Girl Scout leader, homeroom mom, Sorority Mother and numerous other capacities that involved her children.
Most of McKee’s life was lived at 701 Lecta Avenue where her family moved when she was 4 years old. Many of her grandchildren have lasting memories of summers spent with Grandma.
While she accomplished much in life, remember this:
She could do, build, sew, mend, or heal anything thrown at her. She could put in a full day’s work, outshop anyone, work a crossword puzzle, mow the yard, sew a prom dress, and heal a boo-boo, all before dinner, which you could hope was pizza delivery, because although there was very little she couldn’t do, cooking was a skill she never mastered. She had a fabulous sense of humor – her one-liners were legendary. She loved fiercely, and there was nothing she wouldn’t do for those who were fortunate enough to be on the receiving end of that love. If she was hurt, sad, or scared, no one would ever see it, although if anyone else was, she was a pillar of strength and a soft place to land. She was always encouraging and saw the best in everyone, even when the best was difficult to find. She was a woman of faith and found strength through God, but she did so quietly and without imposition.
She loved red-orange maple trees, daisies, and big, flashy costume jewelry. She enjoyed reading, crossword puzzles, Wheel of Fortune, and watching Maksim Chmerkovskiy shirtless on Dancing with the Stars. She was afraid of nothing, with the exception of “those jumpy spider things” sometimes found under her carport. She was tough and strong, and soft and kind all at the same time, and for those of us who were fortunate enough to have loved her, her passing will leave a marked void, as well as a legacy of love, kindness, and strength that we can only hope to one day closely mimic ourselves.
McKee is survived by her 3 children, Caroline Meyers, Elizabeth Nelson, and Robert Cox (Karla); 8 grandchildren, Elizabeth McCoy (Tim Cline), Amanda Iwama (Matt), Jaime Meyers, Susannah McKee James (Jesse), Michael Nelson, Sean Cox, Valeria Cox, and Vanessa Cox; 11 great-grandchildren, Anthony McKee Martin, Logan Martin (Erica), Alexander Dumas (Taylor), Hayden Dumas, Olivia McKee Iwama, Sophia Iwama, Isaac Iwama, Jonah Iwama, Augustus Iwama, Elijah McKee Meyers, and Lillian McKee James; and 8 great-great-grandchildren, Tristan Martin, Nathalie Martin, Luna Martin, Kylee Sallis, Hannah McKee Martin, Hadley Martin, Vaden Dumas, and Brantley Dumas. To her, these four generations left to carry on her legacy and her name were her “Greatest Accomplishments.” She is also survived by her brother, Bill Pitts.
She was preceded in death by her husband Robert Lee Cox; her parents, Osgood and Edna (McKee) Pitts.
A family held memorial service celebrating her life will be held on Wednesday, June 30th at 11:00 A.M. at First United Methodist Church in Roebuck Chapel with Rev. Bud Reeves officiating.
Condolences may be sent to 701 Lecta Avenue, Fort Smith, Arkansas, 72901.