Gilbert Aldon Cox

Gilbert went to be with the Lord on November 25, 2013.



Gilbert Aldon Cox was born on June 21, 1927, in Seattle Washington. His parents Henry and Alma Cox were Friends (Quaker) missionaries in Cuba and had come back to the States on furlough to have their son in the US. Henry and Alma returned to Cuba where Gil was raised. Henry was a church planter and is credited with starting numerous Friends churches in Cuba. Gilbert had a 10 year older brother, Howard, now deceased.



Wanting a proper education for their son, Henry and Alma sent Gil to a boarding school in West Chester, Pennsylvania at the beginning of his 7th grade year. Westtown Boarding School was an exclusive Quaker school that offered scholarships to missionary children. Gil excelled in school, but being a year older than his classmates, was drafted into the US Army in 1945 at the end of his Junior year. Gil served in the Armys Medical Detachment / 9961st Technical Service Unit / Surgeon Generals Office.



After his Military Service, Gil moved to Norwalk, California in 1947 to meet up with his parents who had returned from Cuba in advance of the Communist takeover. Gil received his High School Diploma through the Excelsior Evening High School in Norwalk. He went on to receive his Bachelors Degree in 1952 from Long Beach State where he lettered in Track and Field. In 1966, Gil received his Masters Degree from USC.



In March of 1949, Gil married Anna Bruff and had 2 daughters, Catherine and Caroline. Sadly the marriage ended in divorce. Catherine resides in Costa Mesa and has a daughter, Lisa Shochat. Caroline and her husband Chris Barnes reside in Tigard, Oregon. Caroline and Chris have 2 children, David and Jason. David has a son, Rylan.



In 1955 Gil was led to the Lord at Forest Home Conference Center. Gil started attending Hollywood Presbyterian Church where he met a pretty southerner from Mississippi, Mattie Virginia Stubblefield. Gil and Ginny where married on April 12, 1957 at the home of Ginnys mom. The service was officiated by Gils father.



Gil and Ginny settled in Norwalk and had 2 sons, Craig and Steve. Craig resides in Diamond Bar with his wife Carmen, and Steve resides in Whittier with his wife Donna. Steve and Donna have 3 children, Christopher and his wife Samantha, Casey and her husband Keanan Smith, and Carlie.



Gil taught elementary education for 35 years in the Little Lake School District in Santa Fe Springs.



Gil and Ginny began attending Granada Heights Friends Church in La Mirada in 1960. Wanting to serve the Lord, and taking advantage of his fluent Spanish and summers off from teaching, Gil and Ginny and the boys served on the mission fields of Mexico and Central America.



In 1985 Gil took early retirement from teaching and was led by the Lord to begin a ministry of showing the Jesus Film in Mexico. Between 1985 and 1994 Gil took 53 separate 10 day trips into Mexico to show the Jesus film. Gil has personally shown the Jesus Film 381 times to an audience of over 30,000 leading to 4,555 individuals receiving Christ. Though these numbers are based on accurate record keeping by Gil, he would always say the real numbers were only known by the Holy Spirit. In 1994 Gil began focusing his ministry in Cuba and traveled there 16 times. There he was instrumental in working with Campus Crusade for Christ to establish numerous teams showing the Jesus Film throughout Cuba. As recent as 12 days before his passing, Gil was in Cuba in support of his ministry.



Gil is survived by his wife, Ginny, who suffers from Alzheimers and resides at a care facility in Whittier.



To celebrate the life of Gil, a Memorial Service will be held at Granada Heights Friends Church in La Mirada on December 7th at 3:00pm followed by a simple on site reception.



In lieu of flowers Gils request is that donations be made to the Jesus Film Project at one of the below options:



Online: http://www.jesusfilm.org/donate/donate-options/living-memorial-gift

Phone: 1-800-387-4040 ext. 7539. Please talk to Sharron Joiner, Gils Account Rep at the

Jesus Film Project

Mail:

Living Memorial

The JESUS Film Project

27631 La Paz Rd, Suite A

Laguna Niguel, CA 92677



Announcement giving cards can be sent to Granada to be distributed to the family.



Granada Heights Friends Church

11818 La Mirada Blvd.

La Mirada, CA 90638