Robert "Bob" Kenneth Cox, Jr's Obituary
Robert “Bob” Kenneth Cox, Junior
20 July 1971 - 9 April 2026
A Great American
“Hang On!”
We are deeply saddened to share the tragic loss of A Great American, Bob Cox, who passed away in an off-duty aircraft incident on April 9, 2026.
Bob’s life was defined by a deep love and a tenacious loyalty to his Family, Friends, and Country. He had a remarkable gift for lighting up a room and captivating those around him for hours with his engaging stories and unforgettable presence.
Bob is survived by his loving wife, Lindsay, and his boys, Robert Cox III “Rocco” (9) and Dashiell “Dash” (6).
Bob was born on July 20, 1971 in Cedar Falls, Iowa to Carol and Bob Cox, Sr. His father's life in the military exposed Bob and his three siblings, Christine, Karen, and Allen to numerous locations in the United States as well as overseas in Berlin, Germany. He’s always loved the outdoors and he grew up playing baseball, boxing and swimming competitively, and later, at twenty years old, proudly finishing his first 50-mile endurance run along the McKenzie River, in Oregon, with his father.
In 1990, Bob graduated from Stonewall Jackson High School in Manassas, Virginia and went straight to Basic Training for the Virginia National Guard as a crewmember of the Bradley Fighting Vehicle. In 1992, Bob moved to Bend, Oregon and attended Central Oregon Community College until 1995 achieving president of the dorms and placing 4th in a talent show of 6 participants. It was here, in Bend, that Bob really began to nurture his love for the outdoors; spending much of his free time in his family's remote Oregon cabin; hiking, running, exploring the crystal mines, then relaxing in the hot tub he and his father built from the mountain spring. At home in Bend, Bob’s loving mother Carol would regularly drive many hours to stock his refrigerator with all sorts of amazing foods. Then she would cook stews and casseroles in bulk that provided Bob and his ravenous roommates sustenance for days. Carol is an amazing cook that, thankfully for the rest of us, passed her culinary talents onto Bob and his siblings. Then, for well over a year, Bob lived rent and utility free with two good friends in the sixteen by twenty foot “Ranch” they built with the money they saved from their recent eviction. Bob loved studying physics and calculating buoyancies on a chalkboard in the Ranch, by the flicker of an oil-lamp and the warmth of the wood stove; intermittently strumming the blues on a worn-out, 4-string, burnt-up guitar. It was also here that Bob began to really appreciate and develop his interests in Engineering, Bardge Building, and his pursuit to hone his skills as an expert Craftsman.
Bob then attended Oregon Institute of Technology in Klamath Falls from 1995-1997. He earned no degree and few credits, but most importantly, this was the location that the final Bardge was constructed and ultimately followed Bob, his friends, and family everywhere he went for the rest of his life. Then, after his third student loan was approved, in March 1998 Bob Cox proudly graduated from college, earning a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering (Structural) from Portland State University, and fortunately, for the Bardge Committee, just in time for Spring Break at Lake Havasu.
Then, on a bet that he wouldn’t do it, coupled with his strong desire to serve and fly, Bob joined the United States Marine Corps on an aviation contract on June 6, 1998.
Following completion of The Basic School and U.S. Navy flight school, Bob was designated an AH-1W Cobra Attack Helicopter Pilot. He reported to Camp Pendleton, California, where after his initial training at HMT-303, received orders to Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron 367 (HMLA-367 “Scarface”). His first deployment with Scarface took him to Okinawa, Japan, Thailand, and the Philippines. Bob cut his teeth in the Cobra here, earning many of his qualifications, and learning valuable skills that would serve him the rest of his career; flying low on moonless nights, 50 nautical miles out to sea to practice gunnery on a small rock protruding from the ocean. It was also here in Okinawa where Bob’s skill as a craftsman became apparent to his squadron-mates, as he built a bar for the squadron. This bar, known as the “Scarbar” where Bob forged many of his close relationships.
In 2004, Bob’s second deployment was to Iraq, flying combat sorties in the AH-1W, in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. For a portion of his time in Iraq, he was based at a small outpost in western Iraq called Korean Village. However, for the majority of his time in Iraq, Bob was based at Al Taqaddum airfield near the city of Al Fallujah. Here he was subject to enemy mortar and rocket fire on a regular basis and from here he flew combat missions supporting Operation Phantom Fury, the intense urban battle in the city of Fallujah. While at Al Taqaddum, Bob’s reputation as a craftsman once again proved pivotal as he oversaw the construction of a covered porch on the side of the captured Iraqi squadron building. A piece of that porch is maintained in the Naval Aviation Museum in Pensacola, FL. During this time, he lived in a tent called the Middle Earth Lounge. Bob earned 5 Air Medals in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Upon returning from his second deployment, Bob transferred to Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron 773 (HMLA-773 “Red Dogs”) and was assigned to Detachment Alpha “NOMADS” in Belle Chasse, Louisiana. He served as the Detachment Executive Officer before leaving active duty in 2007 and joining the Marine Corps Reserve in 2009. He continued serving as a reservist with HMLA-773 until his retirement from the Marine Corps in 2017.
In 2007 Bob transitioned to federal service and was sworn in as an Air Interdiction Agent with U.S. Customs and Border Protection in Bellingham, Washington. During his 13 years with the Bellingham Air & Marine Branch, he flew AS-350 AStars and UH-60 Blackhawks in law enforcement operations throughout the Pacific Northwest (PNW), Texas, and the Caribbean. It was during this time in the PNW that Bob reaffirmed his love of riding the world’s longest snowboard and became a local legend when he resurrected the Bardge and scowled the waters of Lake Whatcom, looking for someone to inevitably ask him “what’s that thing for?”
In 2015, Bob married Lindsay Hilton of New Orleans, Louisiana. They met while he was commuting from Washington to Louisiana for drill with the Red Dogs. After several years of dragging her all over the country in his Sportsmobile camper van, they settled down and welcomed their son Rocco, followed by his brother Dash. In 2020, the family relocated to Madisonville, Louisiana and Bob joined the New Orleans Air & Marine Branch in Hammond, Louisiana. Bob continued flying AStars and the King Air 350 Multi-role Enforcement Aircraft (MEA) for CBP until his end of watch, on April 9th, 2026.
Bob’s Military and Law enforcement flying career spanned over 27 years and he amassed more than 6,000 flight hours. He earned the following awards during his time in the Marine Corps and Army: Air Medal with numeral 6, Army Commendation Medal, Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Navy Unit Commendation Ribbon, Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation Ribbon, Sea Service Deployment Ribbon, Naval Unit Commendation Ribbon, and the Army Service Ribbon.
Bob was known as the loyalist of friends, a true professional, an avid outdoorsman, a craftsman, and a tenaciously loving father and husband.
Rest in peace, Bob. Your Love, Service and Friendship will never be forgotten.
The world is a better place because of you. You are deeply loved and you will be missed.
E.J. Fielding Funeral Home has been entrusted with funeral arrangements. Please sign the guestbook at https://www.ejfieldingfh.com.
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