Zettie was born February 15, 1892 in Keytesville, Chariton County, MO to John William and Allie E (Grimsley) Cox. She was the second of eight children born to John and Allie, five girls and three boys. Zettie grew up on the tobacco farm her parents worked and, from an early age, enjoyed cooking for all the farm hands. Her father played the fiddle and was asked to call many square dances and Zettie and her sister, Willie, always enjoyed accompanying him, sometimes missing school. Her teacher told her she would have to decide between going to the square dances or school, so she quit school. She had one child, Ralph William Cox (21 Apr 1909), with James Herschel Davis. On Dec 23, 1909 she married Carl Jackson McCart. She left Carl when Ralph was a small baby and they divorced on Nov 24, 1911. She said she packed up herself and the baby and took a horse to go back to her parents house. When they crossed the river, a bag of diapers fell off and floated downstream. A neighbor, seeing the bundle and knowing Zettie crossed frequently, thought the baby had drowned. He ran to her parents house only to find Zettie and the baby safe and unharmed. Zettie then took a job on a riverboat as a cook. She met James Harry Cox and they decided to move in together at Keytesville, MO. Harry raised Ralph as his own and gave him his last name but about 1931, Zettie left Harry. She met and married Ora Sanders on July 25, 1932 in Olathe, KS.
Zettie's only child, Ralph, died of cancer at the age of 34 in 1943. Zettie promised him she would help take care of the kids so, after his death, she took a job. She used all her money to help clothe, feed and pay the rent for her daughter-in-law and her grandkids. Zettie devoted her life to her six grandchildren and later, her 10 great-grandchildren. She was a wonderful cook and would have big dinners for everyone in the family for holidays. She would call family and invite them to dinner and sometimes have as many as 30 people there. She loved cooking for large groups of people.
Zettie and Ora loved each other very much and when she had a stroke in 1972, Ora refused to send her to a nursing home and chose to care for her himself. They moved to Marshfield in 1973 and lived in the home of her oldest grandson, Jack Cox. They were married 42 years at the time of her death. She is missed terribly and loved greatly by everyone who knew her.
Zettie's only child, Ralph, died of cancer at the age of 34 in 1943. Zettie promised him she would help take care of the kids so, after his death, she took a job. She used all her money to help clothe, feed and pay the rent for her daughter-in-law and her grandkids. Zettie devoted her life to her six grandchildren and later, her 10 great-grandchildren. She was a wonderful cook and would have big dinners for everyone in the family for holidays. She would call family and invite them to dinner and sometimes have as many as 30 people there. She loved cooking for large groups of people.
Zettie and Ora loved each other very much and when she had a stroke in 1972, Ora refused to send her to a nursing home and chose to care for her himself. They moved to Marshfield in 1973 and lived in the home of her oldest grandson, Jack Cox. They were married 42 years at the time of her death. She is missed terribly and loved greatly by everyone who knew her.
Zettie was born February 15, 1892 in Keytesville, Chariton County, MO to John William and Allie E (Grimsley) Cox. She was the second of eight children born to John and Allie, five girls and three boys. Zettie grew up on the tobacco farm her parents worked and, from an early age, enjoyed cooking for all the farm hands. Her father played the fiddle and was asked to call many square dances and Zettie and her sister, Willie, always enjoyed accompanying him, sometimes missing school. Her teacher told her she would have to decide between going to the square dances or school, so she quit school. She had one child, Ralph William Cox (21 Apr 1909), with James Herschel Davis. On Dec 23, 1909 she married Carl Jackson McCart. She left Carl when Ralph was a small baby and they divorced on Nov 24, 1911. She said she packed up herself and the baby and took a horse to go back to her parents house. When they crossed the river, a bag of diapers fell off and floated downstream. A neighbor, seeing the bundle and knowing Zettie crossed frequently, thought the baby had drowned. He ran to her parents house only to find Zettie and the baby safe and unharmed. Zettie then took a job on a riverboat as a cook. She met James Harry Cox and they decided to move in together at Keytesville, MO. Harry raised Ralph as his own and gave him his last name but about 1931, Zettie left Harry. She met and married Ora Sanders on July 25, 1932 in Olathe, KS.
Zettie's only child, Ralph, died of cancer at the age of 34 in 1943. Zettie promised him she would help take care of the kids so, after his death, she took a job. She used all her money to help clothe, feed and pay the rent for her daughter-in-law and her grandkids. Zettie devoted her life to her six grandchildren and later, her 10 great-grandchildren. She was a wonderful cook and would have big dinners for everyone in the family for holidays. She would call family and invite them to dinner and sometimes have as many as 30 people there. She loved cooking for large groups of people.
Zettie and Ora loved each other very much and when she had a stroke in 1972, Ora refused to send her to a nursing home and chose to care for her himself. They moved to Marshfield in 1973 and lived in the home of her oldest grandson, Jack Cox. They were married 42 years at the time of her death. She is missed terribly and loved greatly by everyone who knew her.
Zettie's only child, Ralph, died of cancer at the age of 34 in 1943. Zettie promised him she would help take care of the kids so, after his death, she took a job. She used all her money to help clothe, feed and pay the rent for her daughter-in-law and her grandkids. Zettie devoted her life to her six grandchildren and later, her 10 great-grandchildren. She was a wonderful cook and would have big dinners for everyone in the family for holidays. She would call family and invite them to dinner and sometimes have as many as 30 people there. She loved cooking for large groups of people.
Zettie and Ora loved each other very much and when she had a stroke in 1972, Ora refused to send her to a nursing home and chose to care for her himself. They moved to Marshfield in 1973 and lived in the home of her oldest grandson, Jack Cox. They were married 42 years at the time of her death. She is missed terribly and loved greatly by everyone who knew her.
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