Virginia Pope Cox

Mrs. Virginia Pope Cox, 85, of Rockingham, NC went home to be with her Lord on Tuesday, April 3, 2007 in Columbia, SC. Mrs. Cox was born on July 11, 1921 in Hemingway, SC, a daughter and one of 13 children of the late Stanley S. Pope and Bertie Mae Padgett. Mrs. Cox was a graduate of Holmes Bible College and was a minister in the International Pentecostal Holiness denomination. She began preaching as an evangelist when she was only 16 years old and was licensed in 1947 by the South Carolina Conference of the International Pentecostal Holiness Church. She retired from the ministry on August 1, 1987. She served with her husband, the late Rev. J. Bernard Cox, in pastoral ministry since 1950 at the Hemingway Pentecostal Holiness Church (3 times), the Conway Pentecostal Holiness Church, the Camden Pentecostal Holiness Church, Ebenezer Pentecostal Holiness Church in West Columbia, SC, the First Pentecostal Holiness Church of East Rockingham (3 times) and the Living Waters Pentecostal Holiness Church where she was a member at the time of her death. Mrs. Cox was active in church work, particularly in the Women’s Ministry. She served as President of Women’s Ministry and/or on the board at all of the above-named churches and was active in the Women’s Ministry of the SC Conference. She, also, served as Sunday School teacher, Vacation Bible School teacher, Girls’ Auxiliary teacher, choir member and evangelist throughout her years of ministry. Mrs. Cox was a long-time employee of Belk, Inc. having a successful 14 year career at the stores in Camden, SC, Columbia, SC and Rockingham, NC where she was employed when she retired from the company on August 8, 1986. Her husband of 56 years, Rev. J. B. Cox preceded her in death on August 25, 2006. Surviving are their two daughters and sons-in-law, Gale and Greg Porterfield of Columbia, SC, and Bernee and Wes Tuttle of Clemmons, NC; two grandsons, Joseph and Benjamin Tuttle of Clemmons, NC; brothers, Elbert Pope of Georgetown, SC; Lonnie Pope of Georgetown, SC; Tony Pope of Columbia, SC; sisters, Olga Derrod of Chula Vista, California; Sadie Adams, of Odessa, Texas; Marguerite Carmichael of Hemingway, SC; Marcella Russ of Georgetown, SC; Corky LaRue of Benicia, California and JoRetha Ellis of Charleston, SC. A service to celebrate the life of Virginia Cox will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, April 6th at the First Pentecostal Holiness Church on Hannah Pickett Ave. in East Rockingham with Bishop Jimmy McKenzie, the Rev. George Cashwell, the Rev. Jesse Simmons, the Rev. Donald Duncan, and the Rev. Harris Jordan officiating. Interment will follow in Richmond County Memorial Park. The family will see friends from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at Carter Funeral Home in Rockingham and at other times at the home of Rev. & Mrs. Cox. Memorial contributions may be made to Holmes Bible College in Greenville, SC (www.holmes.edu), Pets, Inc. in Columbia, SC (www.petsinc.org) or to a charity of your choice in Mrs. Cox’s name.