CARIBOU – Lorraine D. Cox, 84, died Dec. 9, 2003, at a Van Buren healthcare facility after a long illness. She was born Feb. 27, 1919, in Fort Kent, the daughter of Thomas and Meddie (Bouthot) Dufour. She grew up in Madawaska and attended elementary schools there. She then went to the Madawaska Training School (now the University of Maine at Fort Kent), and graduated from their two-year program. She taught in the Madawaska School System for four years before her marriage to James F. Cox in 1940, and four children were born of that marriage. Mrs. Cox taught nursery school in her home while her children were young (1955-60). She worked for Sears Order office in Caribou for about a year before her first child was born. She spent 10 years at home bringing up her family and when they were all in school went to work for the Opportunity Training Center with her sister-in-law, Louise Nixon, director of the School (1960-65). She assisted in drawing up the plans for the present Opportunity Training Center, for Presque Isle, with her sister-in-law. When Caribou introduced their special education program, she helped establish the different levels of special education. All the while, she took courses in Presque Isle and Farmington to complete her degree in special education, which she received in 1969. She worked with the bilingual program at Caribou Schools as curriculum coordinator and evaluator for three years. Mrs. Cox was later transferred to the Caribou High School to establish Program II, the culturally deprived and disadvantaged student. When plans for the school system’s vocational Center were presented, she worked to achieve this goal. The school opened its doors in 1974. She developed the General Trades Program at that School and worked there until she returned in 1981. Other activities included volunteer work in Girl Scouts for 10 years as leader of a troop and adult trainer. She also assisted her husband in his Boy Scout work when she was needed. Mrs. Cox was a past chairman for the American Red Cross Drive, worked on American Cancer Society drives, Daffodil Day Drives, Cerebral Palsy Drives, and was active in the March of Dimes. She received awards for being Outstanding Alumnus from UMFK in1984, Outstanding Community Citation from the Lister-Knowlton Post, American Legion, in 1960, and another one from the Caribou Chamber of Commerce in a joint award with her husband for their longtime portrayal as Mr. and Mrs. Santa Claus. She was a longtime devoted member of Holy Rosary Catholic Church, Caribou, where she was a past Parish Council President. Mrs. Cox worked on different commissions of the Parish Council, served as the secretary and was a past Chairman of the Religious Education Committee. She was a past President and Secretary of the Church’s Cemetery Committee. A longtime member of the daughters of Isabella, she served as State Regent from 1989-1991 and was a past state Pro-Life Chairman. Mrs. Cox was a charter member of the D.H.R.S. (Diocesan Human Relations Services), and has been a Eucharistic Minister at Cary Medical Center since 1984. She is survived by two sons, G. Thomas Cox and his wife, Sandra, of Caribou, Jeffrey Cox of Fort Kent; a daughter, Ina Clanton and her husband, Mark, of San Antonio, Texas; a brother, Raynald Dufour of Brigham City, Utah; and two sisters, Florinta Spencer of Wakefield, Mass., Bernice Magown of San Diego, Calif.; seven grandchildren, Cher Hebert, James Cox, Nedra Fabito, Lava Savelson, Traci Clanton-Perez, Jennifer Carr, and Jacob Clanton; 14 great-grandchildren. She was predeceased by her husband, James F. Cox on Jan. 27, 1985; by a son, Alan Cox Jan. 1, 1998.; and a grandson, William Cox in 2002. Family and Friends may call 2-4 and 7-9 p.m. Thursday, at the Lancaster Morgan Funeral Home, 11 Clover St., Caribou. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated 11 a.m. Friday at the Holy Rosary Catholic Church, Caribou, with Father David Raymond, associate Pastor officiating. Interment will be at Evergreen Cemetery, Caribou. In lieu of flowers, Donations in Mrs. Cox’s memory may be made to the Holy Rosary Catholic Church or the Jefferson Cary Foundation, P.O. Box 89, Caribou, ME 04736-9902. Envelopes will be available at the Funeral Home and the Church.
LORRAINE D. COX
