Obituary of Anna Jennie Cox
Greece - Anna Jennie Rivaldo Cox passed away on January 23, 2023 at the age of 101. She was predeceased by her parents, Salvatore "Sam" and Sarah Rivaldo, and her husband Benny Cox. She is survived by her children, Ronald (Linda) Cox, Roger "Buzz" (Carol) Cox, Carol (Larry) Gursslin, Benjamin (Angela) Cox, and Martin (Mary Elizabeth) Cox; her grandchildren, Jeffrey (Lori) Cox, Matthew (Kelly) Cox, Betsy (Josh) Murray, Lauren (Kevin) Moravec, Justin (Christine) Gursslin, Katie (Tony) D'Apice, Chelsea Cox, Sabrina Cox, Benjamin Cox Jr., (Jeanette Diede), Hillary (Casey) Rankin, Kevin (Amanda) Cox and Abigail Cox; her great-grandchildren, Ryan, Nathan, Meredith, Addison, Gavin, Leah, Brandon, Garrett, Theresa Rose, Charlie, Rachael, Emily, and Theodore. Jim Sullivan and Jim Scarsella were very special people to Anna; she called them her stepsons and loved them as such.
Anna was born in the inner city of Rochester, New York in 1921 and was the sixth of 8 children. Her parents, Sam and Sarah Rivaldo, immigrated to America from Sicily prior to the birth of their children. Anna’s childhood was one of tough love and hardship, as her dad died when she was only three years old, leaving her mom with eight kids to raise. Being a younger sibling, Anna was asked to do many chores by her mom and older siblings to help the family survive. Despite its tremendous weight, her childhood molded Anna into what her children and grandchildren describe today as, "by far the gutsiest, grittiest, grinding-style winner", we have ever seen. Marty Cox labeled his mom, "The Great Warrior '' when she turned 90. Oldest son, Ron Cox, referred to his mom as, "The McGuire Road Matriarch", due to her lengthy tenure of living 68 straight years at 144 McGuire Road (1949-2016), prior to moving to the Fleming Point retirement community. From 1979 to 2016 Anna lived alone on McGuire Road in Greece due to her husband Ben’s failing health and his later passing, in 1986.
Anna’s fortunes for a great future turned positive in 1945 when she met a wonderful man named Benny Cox while working at the Haloid Corporation. Benny had just served four years fighting the Nazi’s in WW II’s North African and Sicilian Campaigns, under the command of General George Patton. Anna and Benny married in 1946 and immediately started having children, which ultimately grew to five in number. Sandwiched between Ron and Marty are Roger "Buzz" Cox, Carol Cox-Gursslin, and Benny Cox Jr.
Anna was a "stay at home, raise the kids" mom, while her husband had as many as three jobs at one time trying to keep things going for his growing family. Benny’s love of sports, spurred on by his own all-scholastic athletic feats at Charlotte High School in 1936, influenced the five Cox kids to play and enjoy sports growing up. Anna grew to love sports as well and continually drove the kids around to practices and games for many years. Anna never missed a Yankee ball game on tv and she would stay up until the last out. Derek Jeter was her favorite Yankee, even though she witnessed seeing many Yankee greats all the way back to the 1940’s.
Anna’s talents and activities were many including gourmet cooking, knitting, building crafts, YMCA swimming and gardening. However, her first love was directed to her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. She was constantly asking “ how are the kids doing “ and remembered most of the names. In turn, each one of them deeply cherished her and looked up to her for the fighter she was when it came to battling adversity. To the very end of her life, Anna’s mind was very sharp.
Noteworthy to mention is the fact that remarkably Anna had both knees and both hips replaced, which brings into play yet another nickname of "The Bionic Woman". During the century+ of life Anna was been blessed with, she overcome many health related obstacles including ulcers, gallbladder problems, spinal stenosis, sciatic pain, dozens of bronchitis episodes, cataract surgery, teeth extractions and many more. In 2022, Anna survived four hospital stays (two from covid); another example of her undying toughness and will to live. When asked how others might improve their chance to live a long life, Anna’s first remark was to "stay active, drink tea daily, eat lots of vegetables/fruits, and line up 13 nick-nack elephants on your mantle with their trunks up"! Long ago, she collected her thirteen elephants from various Salvation Army stores and really believed they brought her good luck. Anna Cox was a devoted Christian woman and was thankful to the Lord for her long life. Following her lifelong creed of staying active, Anna participated in many social activities at Fleming Point and was well known at that wonderful retirement center, run by Atria.
Services will be held at the convenience of the family. Interment will be in Parma Union Cemetery, also at the convenience of the family.
In lieu of flowers, we ask that you honor Anna by espressing your love to family and friends every day.
