Shirley Cox is the matriarch of the Cox family, whose family roots run deep in the Becker community. Shirley recently celebrated her 89th birthday. 

Shirley was born Dec. 1, 1932 to Earl and Lucille Hubbard. She was one of nine children in her family. Shirley lived in Becker a majority of her life. She owned a hair salon for several years, as well as the Oaks Restaurant.

Shirley moved to Avon, MN in her retirement.

The words “Anchored in the Love of God and Family” were printed on the sky blue t-shirts of the Shirley Cox Family. A huge group of Shirley and her descendants gathered in front of the castle at Disney’s Magic Kingdom to commemorate their devotion to each other and to Shirley (the woman that made this wonderful trip of a lifetime possible).

Jena Cox (grandaughter to Shirley) shared these sentiments about the experience: “It was a magical moment as we celebrated (grandma) Shirley’s 89th Birthday.”

But the celebration almost didn’t happen.

The unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic has uprooted all of our lives in ways that will shape the rest of our days here on earth.

Florida vacations have been a family tradition for the Cox family that started when Shirley and her husband Harold Cox, Sr first brought their children the year that Disney World opened in 1971. The annual tradition continued as the Cox children became parents themselves. 

Every couple of years, Shirley and Harold invited their children to bring the grandchildren on an adventure to Florida. Those adventures are cherished memories for the whole family. 

Shirley wanted to give her family one more adventure while she is still strong enough to be a part of it. She selected the trip date and made plans during the summer of 2019. 

Fast forward to March of 2020 and that is when everything changed. The world had descended into COVID chaos.

There were toilet paper shortages and masks and hand sanitizers  became standard procedure. People were terrified and making plans for a vacation set to happen in the fall seemed impossible. No one knew what would happen next or if air travel was possible, or if state borders would even be open. For these reasons, Shirley sadly announced that the Cox family Disney adventure would have to wait.

Shirley was 87 at the beginning of 2020; and understood we are all here on borrowed time from God, having lost her own husband Harold unexpectedly in 1999. It was important for Shirley to be there to see her children, now grandparents themselves, witness the amazing way their own grandchildren experienced Disney’s Magic. 

Although this was a passing thought in everyone of the Cox family’s minds; it wasn’t until they experienced the difficult loss of  Vicki and Spencer Cox of the Russell Cox family in May of 2021, that they were reminded that life has only one guarantee. Mother (Vicki) and son (Spencer) left this side of heaven only 10  days apart after they each tested positive for COVID-19 in April of 2021. 

This huge loss solidified Shirley’s resolve. Come what may, the Cox family vacation would happen in 2021!

Shirley set to work yet again on vacation plans. With the help of her daughters and some grandchildren, vacation homes were booked, and cash for tickets to Disney’s Magic Kingdom was given to each child, grandchild and great grandchild. They counted down the months, weeks and days on the Cox Family’s Facebook page, where trivia questions and traveling tips were shared. Everything was coming together, but when fall turned to winter, another wave of COVID cases hit the Midwest.

With just weeks to go, Shirley herself tested positive for COVID and her family was plagued with concern and worry. Although Shirley let her family know they were meant to go on this adventure with or without her, the family rallied. Through prayer and advanced medical treatment, Shirley was on the mend. It is not in Shirley’s nature to give up and she did everything she could to beat the virus. By Thanksgiving, Shirley was cleared to travel, and though her body was weak, her spirit was not.

Shirley’s legacy is a fierce loyalty to one another, and the undaunted expectation to love others as God loves us. This family vacation was meant to celebrate that love, and to allow a reprieve from the tumultuous year the Cox family and the entire world had endured. 

There were 139 Cox family members present on the trip. Shirley’s only stipulation for the trip was that the group must gather for a picture in front of Cinderella’s castle, and then ride her favorite ride, It’s a Small World, with Shirley leading the way, which has been a staple of this family’s tradition. 

December 1st, 2021, the Shirley Cox family got up early to proceed to the “Happiest place on Earth”.  Disney did not disappoint. Five generations of Cox descendants made the journey, including Harold and Shirley’s eight children, their spouses, 26 of their 32 grandchildren plus significant others, 59 of their 72 great grandchildren, and 2 of their 4 great great grandchildren to pose for the picture. All 139 relatives spontaneously burst into a joyous rendition of Happy Birthday to Shirley.

Shirley’s legacy continues to grow, as she shared in her birthday celebration by welcoming another fiancée to their already swollen crowd with a wedding proposal taking place while at Magic Kingdom. Life continues to evolve and change for all of us. There will be weddings to plan and attend in the Cox family in 2022; as well as two new grandbabies making their appearance in the new year. 

Despite the sorrow the Cox family has endured, God continues to provide joy amid the grief.

By the end of the trip to Disney, Shirley had been escorted around the park in her wheelchair by all of her children, and she enjoyed witnessing the magic that she helped create through the eyes of all of her grandchildren. And though exhausted she never missed a moment, or the opportunity for a hug. She kissed flushed cheeks, and sticky faces, and embraced whoever was within arms reach. It was enchanting, and extraordinary to see this kind of happiness, even through the storm. And they will be the first to tell you that it is because of their love of God that the Shirley Cox Family remains anchored in the Love of their Family.