Richard (Dick) Horton Cox

Richard Horton Cox (Dick) was born in Pā‘ia, Maui, Hawai‘i on October 10, 1920, and died peacefully at home on August 2, 2024, at the age of 103. Dick was raised on Kaua‘i and O‘ahu with his two brothers.

Dick’s great-grandparents, Joel and Hannah Bean, came to Hawai‘i in 1861 and stayed for two years. They returned home to San Jose where they founded the College Park Meeting.

Dick’s grandmother, Catharine Elizabeth Bean Cox, was a founding member of Honolulu Friends Meeting in 1937. In 1957, with his brother Doak, sister-in-law Marjorie, and other members of the Meeting, Dick assisted in the purchase of the house at 2426 O‘ahu Avenue for the Meeting. Dick also served as treasurer of the Honolulu Monthly Meeting.

Dick attended local elementary schools, then Hanahau‘oli, and graduated from Punahou School (class of 1938). He earned his Bachelor's (1942) and Master's Degree (1946) in civil engineering from California Institute of Technology. While at Caltech he had the opportunity to spend more time in the Pasadena home of his grandparents. He met Hester Virginia Smith, whom he married in Pasadena in 1942. During World War II, he worked at Goldstone testing rockets in a joint Caltech and Navy project. The couple moved to Hawai‘i after Dick earned his Master’s Degree. Their oldest daughter traveled with them on the Matsonia. Three more daughters and twin sons were born while Dick was working for McBryde Sugar Company on Kaua‘i.

Following his career at McBryde Sugar, Dick went to work for Alexander & Baldwin in Honolulu, first in the Land Department and retiring as a Vice-President of Engineering. He was proud of his many achievements with Alexander & Baldwin. He provided input on community issues, particularly on water rights, usage, and management. He served on the Board of Water Supply and the Commission on Water Resource Management. Dick received many awards for his work in Hawai‘i, including the national Fuller award from the American Right of Way Association and the “O in Life” from Punahou School.

After his retirement, Dick was a worldwide traveler. He continued to enjoy traveling as a widower. He also enjoyed swimming and entered many rough water swims in his 60s and 70s.

Hester died in 1995, and son Samuel died in 1994. Dick is survived by five children, six grandchildren, and two great grandchildren.