Sharon Lynn Cox

Sharon Cox was the heart and historian of her family, always sharing colorful stories of the family and her beloved hometown of Johnson City, TN.

Sharon was beautiful inside and out. She maintained grace and poise even through the trials of a lengthy illness. She was charitable of spirit, generous and kind. She had a way of seeing people as individuals, each with their own struggles, and her perspective on life made her quick to empathize and forgive.

Sharon was born November 16, 1940, in Knoxville to Ruth Gilmer Corpening Cox and Wilford B. Cox. She grew up after the depression and during WWII. It was a trying time in America that shaped Sharon’s life, teaching her resilience and a sense of duty to family, community, and country.

Sharon was the oldest of four children and was raised in Johnson City. She attended Northside School and graduated from Science Hill High School in 1959. She was a student at East Tennessee State College that would become East Tennessee State University before her graduation in 1964.

Sharon was an active member of Alpha Delta Pi sorority at ETSU. She later returned to ETSU to study photography under Mike Smith. Her memberships included the Junior Monday Club, Junior League, and the Christian Women’s Club.

Sharon taught high school in Erwin, she also taught at South Junior High and Science Hill High School. She told fond stories of her students and her days teaching, and often recounted the heartbreak she felt for the ones that were lost in the Vietnam war.
After raising her children, Sharon obtained her Real Estate license and worked for her brother’s company at Prudential Greg Cox Reality for 20 years.

Sharon’s family has a long history in Johnson City and the greater East Tennessee area. Her grandmother, Kathryn Gilmer Corpening, was in the first graduating class of the Normal School (ETSU) in 1911. Her grandfather, Clarence Corpening, worked as an accountant for the Civilian Conservation Corps during the development of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Sharon had a story for every building, road, and corner of the region. She despaired when old buildings were torn down, and she could recall most of the original businesses that started in each building of Johnson City.

Sharon had a love of learning and creative endeavors. She was a photographer, a woodworker, watercolor artist, accomplished seamstress, and an amazing cook. She also had a green thumb. Plants thrived under her care.
She designed and managed the building of a beautiful log home on Buffalo Mountain, personally collecting every stone used on the project. She loved spending time outdoors and being active. She was very athletic and enjoyed heated competition, especially in tennis.

Her grandchildren’s athleticism and competitive spirits brought her great joy. Sharon’s greatest gift was the love she gave her children. She taught them about forgiveness, kindness, humility, and accepting people. She would say, “Everybody make mistakes, but that doesn’t define who they are.”

Sharon’s faith in Jesus was always foremost in her life. She was the 6th generation of her family to attend Munsey Memorial United Methodist Church. She also was also a member of New Life Fellowship Church with her family.

Sharon wanted to pay tribute to her late husband, Ken Jones, for his love and dedication during her lengthy illness. She also wanted to acknowledge how blessed she was to have her brothers Greg and Mickey Cox, her nephew Josh Gwin, and her friends Tom and Kem McKee and Kenneth Howell to help her and to lift her spirits in the last and most difficult years of her life.

Sharon is preceded in death by her husband Kenneth D. Jones, her mother Ruth C. Adams, her stepfather William C. Adams Jr. and her daughter Theresa Bellamy.

She is survived by her children and grandchildren Chris Rodeheaver Martin and husband Leonard of Lakeland, Florida, James Sullivan and Janzen Wells of Kingsport, Tennessee, Dr. Tracy Rodeheaver Dewhirst and her husband David and their children Addie and Wilder of Knoxville, Mark Rodeheaver and wife Chi Mai and their children Jack and Cai of Park City, Utah. Nephew Josh Gwin and his wife Maria and their son Carson of Johnson City. She is also survived by her brothers Conrad and Greg Cox of Johnson City, and sister Cecilia Souslin and her Husband Kenneth of Mansfield, Ohio.

Sharon’s family will receive friends from 11:00 am to 11:45 am, Tuesday, January 11th, 2022, at Morris-Baker Funeral Home. Following the visitation, family and friends will go in procession to Monte Vista Memorial Park for a graveside service conducted at 12:00 pm with Dr. Barry Burns officiating.

John 5:24 Jesus said, “He that heareth my word and believeth that on him that sent me hath everlasting life, and shall not come into judgement, but is passed from death into life”.