Barbara Jean Cox
1931 - 2023

Barbara Jean Cox entered into her eternal Heavenly home at the age of 92 on Dec. 29th, at 11:55pm. She passed away peacefully surrounded by family with a deep love for her.

Barbara Jean Kerns was born in Wheatland, WY on Dec. 26th, 1931. She was the first born daughter to Robert "Bob" Lee and Ruby Pearl (VanOrtwick) Kerns at the VanOrtwick home. Barbara's first brother, Larry, was born on June 30, 1933 and second brother Robert was born on Dec. 28, 1934.

In 1932, her dad, Bob with the help of the VanOrtwick family, built a homestead west of Wheatland. The one room house had wide cracks in the floor, an old wood burning stove and no inside plumbing. At night bobcats fought on the roof. They were snowed in one winter and for several weeks had only beans and noodles to eat. They decided homesteading was not for them and moved back to Wheatland!

Her dad then went to work in the West End Dairy that Grandpa Kerns owned and operated. Many times Bob took his children along in the milk wagon to pick up milk at the country farms. The milk was stored in 5 gallon metal cans.

On Sundays, her dad and mom always took their family to church. Her Dad read the Bible to his children every night, even after they had gotten older. Many Sunday afternoons and evenings the whole Kerns families, aunts, uncles and cousins would gather at Grandma and Grandpa Kerns home. The cousins remember fresh cherry pie picked from the tree in the front yard and sometimes Grandma wringing a chickens neck and cooking fried chicken for dinner!!

All of the cousins hold a dear memory of their Grandma sitting in her rocker. She would admonish her grandchildren to follow the teachings of the Bible and "Be still and know that I AM GOD." Even though the house was small, no one seemed to mind. There are so many happy memories of eating, singing and talking together. Barbara's mother played piano, her father played a banjo or mandolin and many played harmonicas. They would sing gospel songs, hymns and old favorites. Barbara also remembers the family sitting around the radio listening to programs like "Amos and Andy", "Fibber McGee and Molly;" and "Lum and Abner". This was before television of course.

In 1942, Bob and Ruby and most of the other Kerns family decided to move their families to California to help with the war effort. Barbara was 10 1/2. Barbara said she will never forget that trip. The miles of gleaming white salt flats in Utah, the majestic Sierra's, the beautiful Pacific ocean, the sights of San Francisco and Vallejo with all the barrage balloons in the sky to protect Mare Island from an enemy air attack. It was awe inspiring to her. The family lived in Government housing in Richmond and her dad built ships in the Kaiser Shipbuilding Yard #3 in Richmond. The family attended Evangelical Free church in Richmond and the kids went to the youth meetings. Barbara has fun memories of listening to scary radio shows and going to the matinee every Saturday with brothers, cousins and friends. Her dad also loved movies, especially scary ones. He would usually take the kids on Friday night. Afterwards, Barbara, Larry and Robert would sit in their dark bedroom that they shared and talk about were-wolf stories, trying to scare each other to death!

After the war, the shipyard closed. Her dad got a job with Bigge Construction Company. In April 1948, he was helping to build the batch plant for the California Aqueduct system in Tracy, CA. Bob and two other men were standing on some scaffolding that was 40 feet high. All of a sudden, the safety chain broke. One man was able to step off onto something else, the other man jumped, breaking both feet and ankles. But Bob was thrown up against a steel column, crushing his upper body and then he fell to the ground. Bob was taken to the hospital in Stockton, where he died 5 days later on April 25, 1948. It was a terrible shock and heartbreaking for the whole family to lose their husband and dad. Before her dad passed away he asked to be buried in Wheatland, WY. His family took his body back to Wheatland on a train and buried him. During the visit in Wheatland, Barbara and her brother Larry were baptized. She was 16 years old.

Because of the tragic accident, her mom and the kids had to find work at early ages. Barbara worked at a local canning factory. One day she caught her right forefinger in the feed belt which took off the end. They were not able to reattach the finger.

In 1951, Barbara began working for the International Harvester Company where she later met Ed Cox. They were married Feb. 8, 1957. Ed had a little boy, Stephen Michael, who was four years old. On August. 6, 1961, their daughter Paula Eileen was born. They lived in Concord, CA. A couple years after that, Ed was transferred to Fresno, CA and their son Douglas Edward, was born on May 24, 1963.

Barbara attended Evangelical Free Church of Fresno with her children. In 1964 she rededicated her life to Christ.

In 1966, they were transferred to Tempe, AZ where Ed was a sales manager. Barbara and the kids attended Tempe Evangelical Free Church. We became friends with the Schroeter family down the street. Barbara would take anyone and everyone who wanted to go to church! All six of the kids came to know Christ and we are still friends to this day.

In 1974, because of Barbara's love and Christ~like example, her husband, Ed gave his life to Christ and he started attending church with his family. For years Barbara was the church florist. Every Saturday we would drive out to the flower farms, buy the flowers and then she would arrange them for Sunday morning. She was always serving in the women's group, nursery, food for potlucks and Bible studies. Many special memories were made with our church family and friends there.

In 1976, her husband, Ed was transferred back to Fresno, CA. Right away the family started going to Fresno Evangelical Free Church. The Pastor, Rick Yohn was an outstanding Bible teacher and she was thrilled! Our family got involved and made life long deep friendships. The Ambassador Sunday school class was very dear to my mom and dad. Barbara worked in many different areas of the church but the one she is most remembered for is teaching the 2-3 year olds with her very close friend Carolyn McElroy. They taught so long together that it seems like every child growing up in that church went through their Sunday School room. The children ran around, tried to sit and wiggle in their room while they taught. What a tribute to love and patience for those little ones!

Barbara also had a very special friendship with a group of ladies. They celebrated birthdays together by setting beautiful tables at each others homes and having wonderful meals together. I'm sure much laughter, prayer, support and tears were apart of those gatherings.

My mom was very close to brothers Larry and Robert. Calling them my dear, dear brothers.

She was also very close to the Kern cousins. They wrote letters to each other and had a Kerns Cousin Reunion almost every year. All extended families were invited. We had so much fun and laughed our heads off! So many treasured memories made. No one will ever forget singing "I'm so glad I'm apart of the Kerns family," sung to the tune of "I'm so glad I'm apart of the family of God."

She also loved to shop! I, Paula did not, much to her disappointment. After about a half hour I would ask, "Are you done yet?" She would respond "Paula Eileen we just got here!!" She was finally glad to have granddaughters who liked to shop.

My mom loved ice cream!! She would ask any of her children or grandchildren if they would like to go out for ice cream. We always knew it was to treat herself. Swenson's and Coldstone Creamy were her favorites.

Mom's next door neighbor friend, Monique, was very dear and close to her. They would spend hours talking and sharing about family and friends. Monique was from France and she always made Madeleine cookies for Christmas, they were so good!

Ed and Barbara enjoyed going to Fresno State Football games and women's softball games. They had season tickets every year!

They also had a special gift of reaching out to others. Making them part of the family, helping in different situations. A precious family from Ukraine, the Morgun's with 12 children became a dear part of our family. They called her Mommy Barbara.

Another family that became a very special part of our family is Dan and Shelley Bowman and their sons Brad, Daniel, wife Heather and daughter Avery. My mom lovingly became a Mom and Grandma to them. They are considered family and attend many of our Holiday gatherings.

Here are some of the things we kids and the grandkids remember:

• Warm cookies or the smell of fresh baked bread
• Everything going wrong or breaking down when dad was gone on a business trip
• Her reading the bible and doing her bible study in the living room chair
• Sitting on the stairs saying "I won't go to my room!" .....until she got the spoon or yardstick out! the yardstick was not used to measure with, but to be swatted with!
• Chasing Doug around the pool with the pool broom and whacking him!
• Delicious holiday meals, she was an incredible cook and host
• Her love language was food
• Her always wanting to feed you more, even when you were stuffed
• Playing with her at the piano Rubbing Vick's vapor rub on my chest when I was sick.
• Swimming with all of our friends in our pool and she was constantly watching and counting heads
• Mom being a Cub Scout leader/ Being tackled in a cub scout game and turning her ankle.
• Singing us songs at bedtime.
• Mom could never read a map, dad getting frustrated and throwing it into the backseat for us kids to read it.
• Her love, prayers and advice when going through difficult situations in life.
• ALWAYS PRAYING for us and yes.......WORRYING!
• Grandma took us out to lunch on our birthdays
• She loved Werther's candy. Candy dishes were always full!!
• Grandma would pick us up and take us to Coldstone for ice cream
• Grandma was always thanking God out loud, even for a parking space.
• Every Christmas Eve, Grandma had a pot of hot apple cider with cinnamon sticks and cloves brewing, filling the house with its aroma.
• Getting huge snack bags each year at Christmas
• Talking to Grandma on the phone every night
• Grandma loved to feed the birds and squirrels
• Laughing at family get-togethers
• It was easy to make her laugh and then she couldn't stop laughing
• Playing dominoes, cards, games and Hide and go Seek in the front yard
• Grandma always had the best stickers and markers
• Sleepover's with Grandma and Grandpa. We got to stay up late and watch tv with plenty of ice cream! She loved to spoil us.
• Laughing at the Andy Griffith show and I Love Lucy
• She loved Applebee's Chinese chicken salad
• She was always willing to help others
• Grandma was well known for her beautiful handwriting in our birthday cards. She never missed a birthday whether or not you were family. If you knew Grandma you were getting a birthday card.

Barbara was preceded in death by:

Her Loving Husband, Edward Bunker Cox, Jr.
Father, Robert Lee Kerns
Mother, Ruby Pearl Miller
Brother, Larry Lee Kerns

Granddaughter, Christen Leigh Olinger
Granddaughter, Kimberly Sharon~Nicole Cox

Barbara is survived by:

Brother, Robert and Patricia Kerns

Son, Stephen and Cheryl Cox

Daughter, Paula and Bill Olinger

Grandson, Billy and Ana Olinger

Granddaughter, Jacquelyn Olinger

Granddaughter, Jessica and Zachary Peters
Great Grandchildren, Zayden, Mitchell and Lacey Peters

Son, Doug and Denise Cox

Grandson, Jason Cox

Grandson, Brian and Crystabelle Lujan
Great Grandchildren, Zavryn, Saidria and Urijah Lujan

Grandson, Austin and Holly Cox
Great Grandchildren, Olivia and Archer Cox

Granddaughter, Sarah Cox

Dan and Shelley Bowman

Grandson Daniel and Heather Bowman Great Granddaughter Avery Bowman

Grandson, Brad Bowman

Donations can be made to:

Link Care Counseling Center
or
Grow2Serve

A very special thank you to:

Shelley Bowman~

Thank you so much for all the dinners you made for mom. We kept her fed with her favorites for years! But most of all helping me care for her weekly before she came to stay with our family. I could not have done that without you! She loved you and your family so much!

I will always thank God for you! Love you so much......Paula

Sequoia Home and Hospice Care

Kris~ You and your team have given my mom outstanding passionate loving care and attention. You were always available and provided for my mom's needs in so many ways. I will always be thankful and grateful for you!
Love and prayers......Paula

Yost and Webb Funeral Home

Jim ~ Thank you so much for guiding us through this difficult time. Your professionalism, time and attention to detail is extremely appreciated!

In lieu of flowers, our family requests remembrances be made to

Link Care Counseling Center
1734 W Shaw Avenue, Fresno, California 93711

CLICK HERE TO DONATE

or

Grow2Serve

CLICK HERE TO DONATE