Lloyd Eldon Cox

BURLEY – Lloyd Eldon Cox, age 103, of Burley, died Saturday, April 18, 2015, at Parke View Care and Rehabilitation in Burley, just one month shy of his 104th birthday.

Lloyd was born May 12, 1911, on a farm near Swinton, Missouri, the son of Pearl and Claude Cox. He graduated from Bloomfield High School, Bloomfield, Mo., in 1931. He completed two years of college at Southeast Missouri State Teachers College, Cape Girardeau, Mo. In 1933, Lloyd worked as a bookkeeper, and then he sold shoes at Montgomery Ward in Cape Girardeau.

In 1935, Lloyd and Dorothy Mallory were married in Jackson, Mo. In 1936, the first son, John, was born and a few months later the family headed to Richfield, Idaho, with a house trailer pulled by a 1934 Studebaker coupe. The family eventually settled in Burley where three more children were born. Lloyd became a building contractor, and he is credited with building about 300 homes in southwest Burley, as well as several commercial buildings. He owned and operated Independent Building Supply in Burley for ten years. When he retired, he began his hobby of restoring antique Ford cars from the 1920s, which he enjoyed very much.

Lloyd’s first wife, Dorothy, died in 1971. He married Margaret McKnight in 1972. They were later divorced and he and Lilyce Walker Sharp, of Pocatello, were married in 1978.

Lloyd continued his interest in homes by purchasing used manufactured homes and placing them on foundations, several in Heyburn, and several west of Burley. He sold some of these homes and kept some as investment rental properties. Lloyd has resided at Highland Estates in Burley for the past two years.

He is survived by his wife, Lilyce; sons, John and James of Burley, and Joe of Redding, Calif.; and daughter, Janet Blackman of Grand Junction, Colo.; three step-sons, David Dye, Frank Dye and Kevin Dye all of the Pocatello area; ten grandchildren; 17 great-grandchildren; and numerous step-grandchildren and step-great-grandchildren. He was predeceased by one sister; five brothers; and one granddaughter, Connie. His brother, Warren, who preceded him in death, also lived in Burley for many years.

The funeral will be held at 2 p.m. Thursday, April 23, at Rasmussen Funeral Home,1350 E. 16th St., in Burley, where friends and family may call from 1 until 1:45 p.m. Officiating will be Bishop Chris Seibold. Interment will be beside his wife, Dorothy, at the Pleasant View Cemetery in Burley.

Donations may be made in his name to any charity of your choice.