Elaine Claire Cox (née Parsons) passed away early on Friday, July 3rd, 2026, at the age of 85.

Born on May 11th, 1941, to Clarence and Dorothy May Parsons (née Brackett) in Gloucester, Massachusetts. Elaine graduated with honors from Gloucester High School, being awarded the Sawyer Medal and earning her place as a member of the National Honors Society. She earned her Registered Nurse (RN) at Beth Israel Hospital School of Nursing in Boston, MA in the Class of 1962.

Elaine was commissioned as a nurse in the United States Air Force in 1963, and married Roy Irvin Cox later that same year. Elaine served at Patrick Air Force Base, Florida, and Wright Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, completing 2 years of active duty and attained the rank of First Lieutenant (1LT).
Committed to both her profession and her faith, Elaine received her Certificate of Ordination from the International Ministers Forum. She later earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) from Missouri Baptist University and her Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) from Saint Louis University, where she was inducted into the Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing.

Elaine led a remarkable and adventurous life. After she completed her military service, she and Roy moved to Marysville, Ohio, where they raised their children Brett and Debbie. Together they owned a Piper Cherokee 140 Low-Wing airplane and flew regularly as both were licensed private pilots. Elaine worked as an obstetrics nurse at Memorial Hospital in Marysville before the family relocated to the St. Louis region in 1982. There, she began working as a home health nurse while also deepening her commitment to her Christian faith.

In her spiritual journey, Elaine traveled several times to Eastern Europe where she smuggled Bibles (using secret compartments in the vehicles) into Romania, Czechoslovakia, and other countries that lay behind the Iron Curtain where Christian Bibles were illegal. She also visited Germany when The Berlin Wall fell and witnessed the reunification of the country as it progressed. Elaine returned with several pieces of the Wall that she chipped off herself.

After she attended Missouri Baptist University for her Bachelor's in Nursing, she began her teaching career at Jefferson College and eventually became the Director of Nurses at Missouri Baptist University. She pursued doctoral studies in nursing at Saint Louis University but ultimately decided retirement offered greater rewards-feeding her birds, fishing, and playing with her granddaughters.

Elaine was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, her siblings Dorothy (John) Randazza, Nancy (Richard) Pedergast, Jeffery (Donna) Parsons, Herman Parsons, and Mary (Paul) Scola. Cherished mother of Brett (Melinda) Cox and Deborah (Mark) Cribbs. Cherished grandmother/Nana to Victoria Cox and Allison Cox. Dear sister, aunt, cousin, and friend to many.

Services: Committal service will be held at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery at 11:30 AM on July 29th, 2026, where she will rest in peace with Roy. In honor of Elaine, please consider a donation to the Missouri Veterans Home in St. James, MO, where she made many friends and received amazing care from the staff and volunteers. As a service of the SCHRADER Funeral Home and Crematory, friends may sign the family's on-line guestbook at Schrader.com.