Anita Gayle Cox

Anita “Gayle” (Key) Cox passed away peacefully on November 7, 2023 at Sandpiper Bay Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center in Wichita, Kansas. Her family is confident that she is now in the presence of Jesus, whom she served throughout her life. She had been a resident of Wichita since 1999.

Gayle was born on January 1, 1940 to Luster and Grace (Anderson) Key in Agra, Oklahoma. She joined her brother, Wayne, and they were later met by their brother, Edward “Eddie”. She spent her growing-up years in Oklahoma and Kansas. After her father became a pastor, her family lived in several communities in Oklahoma and Kansas. She attended high school in Arkansas City, Kansas and graduated from Friends Bible Academy in Haviland, Kansas in 1958. She received her associates degree from Friends Bible College in Haviland.

She met the love of her life, Eldon Cox, early in life while her parents attended the church pastored by Eldon’s dad. Gayle and Eldon were born just over a month apart and Gayle’s parents helped their pastor by contributing toward the cost of Eldon's birth. After both of their families moved around due to pastoral assignments, Eldon and Gayle became reacquainted as teenagers and attended Friends Bible Academy together. They married just two months after graduation, on August 1, 1958, thus beginning 65 years of devotion to each other, their family, friends, and the congregations they loved and served.

They welcomed their son Kevin Lin and daughter Kim Lynette into the world while living in Haviland. Those two were joined by Kris Eldon in Houston, TX and Karmen Rachelle (the Kaboose) in Lawrence, Kansas.

Eldon’s pastoral work took them to churches in Houston, TX, Lawrence, KS, Homestead Friends Church in rural Chase County, KS, Paonia, CO, Fowler, KS, Sedgwick, KS, Cedar Point, KS, and Arkansas City, KS. While Eldon was the pastor, Gayle was his constant companion through her music ministry, and together, they lovingly ministered to their congregations. She sang to many babies during dedication services and was a great encourager through her words and music. Eldon and Gayle’s work together led to countless people meeting Jesus Christ and learning to serve Him.

Gayle was known for her excellence in so many things. She was an amazing and accomplished pianist, singer, seamstress, cook, and decorator. Folks from long ago recall how she ministered to them from the piano and helped them to learn how to worship the Lord. Her family is still in awe at how she could serve a full dinner to a roomful of people just an hour after church was concluded. Her grandchildren now serve her recipes to their own children. She sewed many of her own clothes, made her daughters’ wedding dresses, and was as comfortable at the sewing machine and stove as she was at the piano. She loved color and she loved wallpaper and every home she lived in was graced by her unique style and touch. She sold Mary Kay Cosmetics for almost 50 years and was never afraid to take on a job to make ends meet. She even traveled for a time in Colorado selling wholesale jewelry and making new friends around the Western Slope of Colorado. While living in Colorado, she and Eldon loved spending time together in the great outdoors; hiking, picnicking, and camping. She loved Jesus, and her relationship with him was the most important part of her life. She loved her husband fiercely and they were rarely apart.

She was affectionately known as “Mother” by her children and “Grammie” by her grandchildren. She made each of her grandchildren feel important, and her family always looked forward to time spent with Grammie and Papa.

Gayle was extremely resilient. She and Eldon experienced the loss of their son, Kevin, to a tragic accident in 1976. Through that loss, they were able to help others who experienced similar losses, giving them the hope that they themselves had in Jesus. She carried on in that hope after losing their son, Kris, just two years ago. Gayle suffered a stroke in September, 2011, just a day after ministering in music at Camp Quaker Haven. Though she lost the ability to walk and do the things she loved to do, she never lost faith in her Savior. She maintained her faith and sense of humor, even up to her last days.

Gayle was preceded in death by her parents, Luster and Grace Key, her brothers Wayne and Eddie, sons Kevin and Kris, granddaughters AbiGayle and Hannah, and two great-grandbabies, Thatcher and Glory.

She is survived by her husband, Eldon, of Wichita, sisters-in-law Elda Ann Cox of Derby, KS, Anita Key of Lincoln, NE, Lynette Farr of Salina, KS and Sharon Key of Kansas City, MO; daughters Kim (Chris) Johnson of Crawford, CO, Karmen (Louis) Locke of Sedgwick, KS, and daughter-in-law Julie Cox of Wichita, KS. She is further survived by 12 grandchildren: Sarah, Taylor, Kevin, Nathan, Kaitlyn, Alexis, Shane, Karlie, Gracie, Kaleb, Joshua, and Jeremiah; 17 great-grandchildren, and numerous cousins, nephews and nieces.

Services will be held at Northridge Friends Church, 2655 N. Bullinger Street, Wichita, KS at 10:00 am on Wednesday, November 22. Memorial contributions may be made in Gayle’s name to Northridge Friends Church.