Donald D. Cox, age 93, passed away peacefully on August 29, 2025, in the care of Hospice House of Olathe, Kansas.

Born on August 11, 1932, in Peck, Kansas, Donald was the son of Glenn D. Cox and Myrl I. Cox. He grew up with his older brother, Eugene B. Cox (d. 1974), and half-brother, Gary D. Cox of Fort Worth, Texas. He was raised by his grandmother, Stella Cox, and spent his early years trapping, hunting and fishing to help support the household, even driving a tractor by age 10. Stella’s faith and generosity left a lasting impression on him, and her passing when he was 14 marked the end of a formative chapter in his life. He routinely said, “Grandma was deeply religious, and I always felt that if grandma didn’t get to heaven, no one is there.”

After graduating from Clearwater High School, Donald proudly joined the U.S. Air Force. During the Korean War, he served as a Military Police officer near Caribou, Maine, guarding Loring Air Force Base. There, he met the love of his life, Nadine M. Pelletier. They were married in Caribou on April 14, 1953, beginning a 72-year journey together.

Following his honorable discharge in 1955, Donald and Nadine settled in Haysville, Kansas. He began working at Beech Aircraft, and, with help from the GI Bill, they purchased their first home. Over the years, Donald advanced through the company, retiring in 1992 as General Manager of the Machine Shop and Fabrication. He also earned his private pilot’s license, often flying Nadine to breakfast and lunch spots across Kansas.

Devoted founding members of St. Cecilia Catholic Church in Haysville, Donald and Nadine were active in the parish for 67 years. Donald was a skilled woodworker, and the couple traveled extensively, enjoying many memorable trips together. They took great pride in the custom details of the last home they built in 1999, where they lived until relocating to Lenexa, Kansas, in February 2020.

Donald is survived by his beloved wife, Nadine; children, Dana (Kathy) Cox of Wichita and Michelle (Fred) Betzen of Olathe; grandchildren, Alex (Nellie) Betzen of Leawood, Olivia Betzen (Mark Kunsman) of Basking Ridge, New Jersey, and Chloe Cox (Henry Lennon) of Portland, Oregon; and three treasured great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his grandson, Glenn Cox, in 2021.

A funeral Mass will be held at Good Shepherd Catholic Church, 12800 W. 75th Street, Shawnee, Kansas, on Saturday, October 18, 2025, at 11 a.m. Interment will follow at Fort Leavenworth Military Cemetery at a later date.

To honor Donald’s memory, friends may contribute to a charity of their choice. Messages of condolence may be shared through the Cremation Society of Kansas and Missouri.