COX, Claude Earl - Fountain County INGenWeb Project

Private funeral rites for Claude Earl Cox, 66-year-old World War I veteran, found dead early Saturday, Dec. 22, in his burning trailer house on North Sherman St., in Veedersburg, were held at 11 a.m. Monday, Dec. 24, at the Fishero Funeral Home in Veedersburg. The Rev. J. Samuel Pritchard officiated and burial was in Cold Spring Cemetery. The fire was discovered about 3 a.m. by Don Riley, employed at the foundry in Veedersburg, while driving along US-136 near the trailer. He ran to the scene, but the flames were so far along he drove into town to give the alarm. Before firemen reached the trailer it was burned to the ground. The body was recovered from the debris. Fountain County Coroner Ralph Nelson, Veedersburg, said an investigation was continuing into the fire. Mr. Cox was a native of Parke County and he was born July 27, 1896, the son of Thomas and Sarah Butts Cox. He was married Dec. 21, 1914 to Sylvia Martin, who survives. He was a mechanic by trade, a veteran of World War I, and a member of the EUB Church in Parke County. Surviving, in addition to the widow, are: 15 children, six daughters, Mrs. Reba Pickett, Mrs. Reatha McClure, Mrs. Donna Sandlin and Mrs. Beverly King of Veedersburg; Mrs. Rae Ann Morgan of Cooksville, Tenn., and Mrs. Rogenna Grimes of Windsor, Cal.; nine sons, Emerson, Jack, Bill and Darwin of Veedersburg, Gerald of Encino, Cal., Verne of LaGrange, Ill., Donald and Wesley of Chicago and Verlin of Omaha, Neb.; four sisters, Mrs. George Rowe and Mrs. Pearl Martin of Rockville, Mrs. Opal Barkley of Indianapolis and Mrs. Lucille Burdine of Phoenix, Ariz.; 53 grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.