Georgian Wood-Cox saw many innovations in her long life? incandescent light bulbs, early crystal radio, automobiles, television, homogenized milk, antibiotics, computers cell phones and more. She lived through two World Wars, the Spanish influenza of 1917, and the Great Depression. Through it all, she kept a positive attitude.
Georgian Wood-Cox died March 20 at Genesys Hospice Care Center in Goodrich.
She was 103.
Georgian was born Feb. 28, 1904 in Gratiot County, north of Middleton, the second daughter of Noah Franklin and Lydia Amelia (Beck) Wood.
While Georgian was growing up, the family had coal oil lights, no electricity, an outhouse, back porch hand pump, and for transportation to and from school and church, a horse cart.
Georgian attended a one-room rural school and graduated from Ithaca High School. She received a teaching certificate from Michigan Normal College in Mt. Pleasant and taught at a one-room school house in Vestaburg near Alma.
Georgian married Lawrence K. Cox on Nov. 9, 1929 and they moved to Ann Arbor, where Lawrence completed dental school. They moved to Adrian in the early 1930s after his graduation and had three sons.
Lawrence (‘Doc?), established a dental practice and Georgian raised their children, while also spending many years teaching young students at the Croswell School for Special Children. She was also a lifelong member of the Eastern Star and the Tau Delta Sorority of Adrian.
‘I remember as a young lad that Mom always had such a positive attitude and zest for life,? says Georgian’s son, Charles Cox. ‘Not too long ago, I asked her why and from where did she receive that positive attitude… she said that perhaps one of the greatest postive impacts to her way of thinking was her reading of the 1952 book ‘The Power of Positive Thinking,? written by a young pastor, Norman Vincent Peale… The message she remembered was to think positively about yourself, keep your thoughts and your actions clean, don’t be afraid to talk to God and to ask God who made you to keep on remaking you every day. What a lady, at 103!?
After her husband died in 1961, Georgian completed her baccalaureate degree at Adrian College and taught school at Garfield and Jefferson elementaries in Adrian until her retirement years later.
After retiring, Georgian attended graduate classes at Sienna Heights College in the teaching of young and special children. She also took courses in quiltmaking. She loved to make things with her hands and since 1964, had hand-sewn over 48 quilts and over 500 knitted items for family members.
Charles recalls that his mother always had a smile on her face and was never at a loss to provide a postive word of support for a family member or friend.
‘She and Dad always lived by the thought that ‘one should pass your help on to those who follow,?? he said. ‘Her message lives in all of her family. Pass it on.?
Georgian is survived by sons Lawrence K. (Joan) Cox II of Adrian, William R. (Sally) of Yankeetown, FL, and Charles F. (Carla Frasher) of Fenton; seven grandchildren; and 15 great-grandchildren.
A funeral service was March 23 at Wagley Funeral Home. Interment in Oakwood Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made to Genesys Hospice, Goodrich.