Marilyn Fay Cox, born Marilyn Fay Gillespie, passed away on October 5, 2026, in Safford, Arizona, just days before her 90th birthday. She was born on October 10, 1936, in Safford, Arizona, and her life remained rooted in the landscapes and communities of Arizona from beginning to end.

She married the love of her life, Henry James Cox on February 24, 1954 and together they raised four children here in the Gila Valley.

Jim worked for the Arizona State Highway Department and they moved to Strayhorse Highway Camp on the Coronado Trail where they lived for 15 years. She said, "I loved every minute of it, it was the closest to Heaven I'll ever get." They were very isolated and it snowed a lot. The couple had a generator for our electricity and pumped their water from the spring down a canyon. There was no phone - just the State radio for emergencies. In the summers, Marilyn worked for the Forest Service on their fire towers. Some of her fondest memories were of picking wild berries, making jelly, quilting and sewing.

Marilyn will be remembered with love by her family and by all who knew her steady presence. Her greatest joy was her family; She said "My greatest achievement was never what I accomplished, it was simply being your mother. Loving you gave my life meaning in a way nothing else could."

She is survived by her children, James L. (Kathy) Cox, Tim (Suzie) Cox, Darla (Theron) Hansen, and Randy Cox, who carry forward her memory with gratitude and affection. Marilyn is also survived by 10 Grandchildren numerous Great-Grandchildren and Great-Great Grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her beloved husband Henry James Cox, her father, Fay Gillespie; her mother, Doris Elaine Talley; and her grandson, Clay James Mackey. She is also preceded in death by her brother, Delvar Gillespie and half-brother Sheldon Gillespie. Their memories remained part of the family she cherished, and they are remembered alongside her with tenderness.

A graveside service will be held on October 10, 2026, from 10:15 a.m. to 11:15 a.m. at Gila Valley Memorial Gardens in Safford, Arizona.

As her family and friends gather to honor her life, they will remember a woman whose journey began and concluded in Safford, and whose memory will remain a lasting part of the lives she touched.