Lilyce Walker Cox

BURLEY – Lilyce Walker Cox, a 94-year-old resident of Burley and Pocatello, passed away Sunday, May 21, 2023, at 1:09 a.m. with her granddaughter, who was also her caregiver, by her side.

Lilyce was born June 23, 1928, in Lewisville, Idaho, the seventh child of William Perrin and Ella May Allen Walker. She had four brothers and two sisters.

She grew up in Lewisville, attended high school in Idaho Falls, and graduated with the class of 1946. She attended Idaho State University College of Cosmetology and had her own beauty shop in her home in Pocatello for a few years. She later used her beauty shop experience, after moving to Burley, volunteering in the Parke View Rehabilitation and Care Center’s beauty shop doing residents’ hair.

Lilyce was an active member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and served as music director, Gospel Doctrine teacher, and Relief Society president. She loved music, both playing the piano and singing in choirs. She spent several years as a member of the Burley Music Club including a time as president. She enjoyed attending plays presented by local theatrical groups. Lilyce’s greatest joy was her 31 grandchildren and three great-grandchildren and she lived for opportunities to enjoy their company.

She worked as a secretary and bookkeeper for a medical equipment company and for the Pocatello J C Penney’s department store in the fabric department until they moved the store from their downtown location into a mall location. She enjoyed sewing but found sewing could not keep up with the fabric purchases she made with the company discount, so she did not transfer to the mall store. Lilyce also enjoyed knitting and crocheting but her most loved pastime was family history.

Lilyce married Odell Leon Dye on June 10, 1947, welcoming three boys into their family who were all born in March. This may have had something to do with Odell being on active duty in the United States Navy. They were later divorced on October 5, 1953, leaving Lilyce to raise the two boys while pregnant with the third as a single mother until marrying William Francis Sharp on November 13, 1958. In August 1961, Lilyce and her three boys were sealed for time and all eternity to Francis Sharp in the Idaho Falls Idaho Temple. He passed away on October 30, 1977. Lilyce married Lloyd Eldon Cox, of Burley, on September 15, 1978, who she met at a regional dance. Lilyce moved to Burley where she resided until Lloyd’s death on April 18, 2015. Shortly thereafter, she moved to Pocatello to live with her granddaughter who is a CNA and took care of her until her death - one month and two days before her 95th birthday.

Lilyce is survived by her three sons, David (Lyn) Dye of Ammon, Frank LaMar (Lorana) Dye of Burley, and Kevin (Paula) Dye of Pocatello; her grandchildren and great-grandchildren; and her brother, Clinton Walker of Bakersfield, California.

The funeral will be held at 11 a.m. Tuesday, June 6, at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints - Star 1st Ward, located at 100 S. 200 W., of Burley, where family and friends will be received from 10 until 10:45 a.m. She will be buried at the Brigham City Cemetery in Brigham City, Utah, next to her eternal companion, William Francis Sharp.

A live webcast of the Funeral Service will be available and maintained at the following link: https://youtu.be/xG1LT9Ypv0k.

Arrangements have been entrusted to the care of Rasmussen-Wilson Funeral Home of Burley.