T.C. "Skip" Cox, Jr.

Our husband, our father, our grandfather, our friend, T.C. “Skip” Cox, Jr. left the old dirt road and log home of which he was so fond, and started on his journey along streets of gold leading to his promised mansion on May 10, 2020.

Private family graveside service 11 a.m., Thursday at Johnsville Cemetery in Erath County. A memorial service will be held at a later date.             

Skip, as he was known by all since he was a baby, was born March 22, 1942 to Dororthy Culwell Cox and T.C. Cox in Stephenville, Texas. After the death of his father in Salerno, Italy during World War II, Skip's mother moved to Mineral Wells, Texas where Skip attended grade school at Cullen Grimes Elementary School, Mineral Wells Junior High and Mineral Wells High School where he was football trainer and manager from 1956-1960; he graduated from MWHS in May of 1960.

After high school graduation Skip attended North Texas State University on scholarship as a student trainer. He graduated from NTSU with a Master's Degree in 1965. He went on to become athletic trainer at Amarillo Palo Duro High School and Odessa High School before becoming the head athletic trainer for North Texas State University in 1968. He left NTSU in 1973 where he served as the head athletic trainer for Baylor University until 1984 at which time he became Assistant and then Associate Athletic Director for Baylor University until his retirement in 1993.

During his career at Baylor University he was privileged to be a part of the 1974 Southwest Conference Football Championship as well as the 1980 Southwest Conference Football Championship. He was also part of the 1975 Cotton Bowl (Baylor vs Penn State,) 1979 Peach Bowl (Baylor vs Clemson,) 1981 Cotton Bowl (Baylor vs Alabama,) 1983 Bluebonnet Bowl (Baylor vs Oklahoma State,) 1985 Liberty Bowl (Baylor vs LSU,) 1986 Bluebonnet Bowl (Baylor vs Colorado,) and the 1991 Copper Bowl (Baylor vs Indiana.)

In 1972 Skip was named president of the Southwest Athletic Trainer's Association.  During his presidency he was instrumental in helping to make State Licensure for athletic trainers become a reality, making District 6 of the National Athletic Trainer's Association the leader in licensure for athletic trainers across the nation. The Student Athletic Trainer's Association also came about during his tenure.

During his athletic training career, he worked with 261 student trainers and managers. Fifteen of those students were at one time actively involved in the athletic training profession including Ken Locker, athletic trainer for the Dallas Cowboys and Hal Wyatt, athletic trainer for the San Francisco 49ers.

More than 7,800 athletes were trained, taped, and prepared for football, basketball, baseball and track games and events. In that number were 92 professional athletes including such notables as Mean Joe Green (Pittsburgh Steelers,) Mike Singletary (Chicago Bears,) Walter Abercrombie (Pittsburg Steelers,) Alfred Anderson (Minnesota Vikings,) Keith Bishop (Denver Broncos,) Randy Grimes (Tampa Bay Buccaneers,) Vann McElroy (Oakland Raiders,) Ricky Thompson (Washington Redskins,) Ray Crockett (Detroit Lions,) Cody Carlson (Houston Oilers,) Michael Johnson (4 time Olympic Gold Medalist,) Vinnie Johnson (Detroit Pistons.)

In 1991 he was named to the Southwest Athletic Trainer's Association Hall of Fame, in 2008 he was inducted into the Mineral Wells High School Athletic Hall of Fame and in 2010 he was inducted into the Baylor University Athletic Hall of Fame.

After his retirement from Baylor University, he and his wife Kay moved to Possum Kingdom Lake. He lived there until his death on May 10th, 2020.

Skip is survived by his wife of 57 years, Linda Kay Stone Cox; five children Shannon and husband Craig Applegate of Waco, Tx., Troy and wife Beverly Cox of Blooming Grove, Tx., Kyle and wife Abbye Cox of Hillsboro, Tx., Gailey and husband John Bolfing of Montgomery, Tx, JJ and wife Stephanie Cox of Moss Bluff, La.; sister Leslee Kay Calhoun Huggins of Waco, Tx.; and niece Lorre Swanson of Belton, Tx.

He is also survived by 16 grandchildren, Brittany Collins and husband Joe of Sealy, Tx., Chandler Walden of Houston, Tx., Casey and husband Connor Zeptner of Palmer, Tx., Shelby and husband Nelson Brosang of Clarksville, Tn., Tory Cox of Blooming Grove, Tx., Aaron Fullerton and wife Kristi of Abbot, Tx., Rachal Cox of Hillsboro, Tx., Brian Cox of Hillsboro, Tx., Caleb Cox of Hillsboro, Tx., Tyler Bolfing and wife Lakeyn of Monroe, La., Brooke Bolfing of Montgomery, Tx., Josh Bolfing of Montgomery, Tx., Brock Bolfing of Montgomery, Tx., Stone Cox of Moss Bluff, La., Maggie Cox of Moss Bluff, La., Jake Cox of Moss Bluff, La., 5 great granddaughters, Brynn, Addi, MacKenzie, Lillian Grace and Sophia Jane. Also, Craig Price, Frank Snell and Bradford Lewis.

Preceeding Skip in death are his father, T.C. Cox; mother, Dorothy Calhoun Cox Trump; grandparents, Troy Lillian Culwell.

Skip will be missed by his family and multitude of friends.