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Nov 3, 1918 - May 9, 2002
Chester Hiatt Cox, aka Chet, died May 9, 2002, from complications of Alzheimers disease. He was born Nov. 3, 1918 in Herndon, Kansas, the 10th and youngest child of Grant and Mary Cox.
He moved to California in 1939 and tried out many jobs from soda jerk and chili cook in Pasadena to hydrographer with the Bureau of Reclamation in Sacramento. He was drafted in June 1941 for training at Camp Roberts, which led to an assignment in the 3rd Infantry Division as a member of the 7th Infantry Band. Along with participating in numerous invasions and assault landings in Europe.
Chester was an accomplished trombonist who along with the 7th Infantry Band performed in North Africa for dignitaries and heads of state such as Roosevelt, Churchill, Stalin, de Gaulle, Patton and Eisenhower. Discharged in 1945, he later graduated from the Conservatory of Music in Kansas City, Missouri, and by the early 1960's made his way back to California as a band director and guidance counselor. Through a fellowship at USC, he earned his guidance counseling credential in 1961, and his masters of Science in Education in 1972. From 1962 through retirement in 1980, he was a counselor and director of guidance at Claremont High School. During the late 1970's, he also taught summers at the college of Idaho.
Chet is survived by his sons, Lee Williams of Utah, Aven Williams of Montana and Gary Williams of Minnesota. Married for nearly 30 years to Florence Hobson Williams, he was widowed in 1979. Since 1980 he shared an active retirement in Yucaipa with companion Evelyn Wichner.
Graveside services will be 11 a.m., Friday at Hillside Memorial Park , Redlands. In lieu of flowers please send donations to your local Alzheimers charities.
- Published in Inland Valley Daily Bulletin on June 19, 2002
Hillside Memorial Park - Redlands, California
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Mary Maxine Hart (1973)
Mr. Cox was my counselor and was a wonderful man. He always had good advice and encouragement and I feel fortunate to have been associated with him. He is always a strong part of my warm remembrances of Claremont High.