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  • Quanah Cox was right at home on the Halliburton Stadium Field during his years at DPS.

    Quanah Cox was right at home on the Halliburton Stadium Field during his years at DPS.
July 17, 2012

Quanah Cox remembered fondly

Derrick Miller The Duncan Banner

DUNCAN — A book of letters, old newspaper clippings and photographs displays the impact Quanah Cox made on the lives of his students, friends and family members.

Cox, 81, died Monday morning at the Lawton Veteran Center. Everywhere he once stood, once sat or once coached, Cox left inspiration and memories.

“He was a wonderful man,” Mary Frances Cox, Quanah Cox’s wife, said.

Cox was also a direct descendant of Comanche Chief Quanah Parker, shared Cova Williams, museum coordinator with Chisholm Trail Heritage Center.

Mary Frances said in a Duncan ... the magazine November 2011 article, that her husband would entertain youth who came to their home for Christmas parties, with tales of the Native American history. He was quite the folklore storyteller, she said.

Quanah Cox spent 31 years in education with Duncan Public Schools. Throughout his career, Cox coached every sport at Duncan Junior High School, except wrestling. He retired in December 1987.

Years later, his family and he would hear from his former students, many of whom acknowledged Cox’s impression on their lives. His wife said one man stopped by to recognize how the former coach had put his life heading the right direction.

Local historian Phil Leonard viewed Quanah Cox as an inspiration. Although Cox was about 10 years ahead of him in school, he could see the impact he made on the lives of others.

“He was well respected, well liked,” Leonard said. “He was real consistent. He was always in shape. He was a real fine athlete.”

During his junior year at Duncan High School, Cox set a state record for broad jump, a record that stood for 19 years. From there, he received much attention, including a full track scholarship from the University of Oklahoma.

While attending OU, Cox became an officer in the ROTC program. Following his graduation in 1954, he was assigned to the 548th Field Artillery Battalion/17th Group at Fort Sill. During that time, he coached track and basketball for the 548th and 17th Group.

He was honorably discharged from the U.S. Army Reserve in 1962, having reached the rank of first lieutenant.

Throughout his career with Duncan Public School, Cox was a coach, a teacher and retired assistant principal at Duncan Junior High. He was the fourth person inducted into the DPS Sports Hall of Fame in 1980.

But, for Leonard, Cox was more than just an educator.

“He was always a great example of someone who was a good Christian man,” Leonard said. “He was always a well thought of teacher and coach.”

Nancy Leonard was assistant superintendent when Cox was with the school district. Much like his students, Leonard saw firsthand the work Cox put in to make his students know they could win and they were special.

“He was a wonderful person,” Leonard said. “The kids loved him.”

Mary Frances said Quanah’s students weren’t the only people impacted by him. He made a difference in her life. Together, they had three children, five grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

And there aren’t enough kind words to reflect what he meant to others.

Phil Leonard might have said it best.

“People always say nice things about people when they die. For Quanah, they’re true. I don’t think Quanah had a blemish,” Leonard said.

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