Haddonfield's 2017 Citizen of the Year is George Cox.
Bio – George R. Cox
Born December 21, 1942 in Camden, NJ at West Jersey Hospital
His parents were George O. Cox, treasurer of First Baptist Church for 25 years and a proofreader at Franklin Printing in Primas,PA., his mother Ida Dunphey Cox was a very active member of the same church, and he has a sister, Janice Cox Stewart, who worked at several banks in town.
First home; 58 Center Street, Haddonfield. This was his grandparents’ home. His grandfather, Roy Dunphey,Sr., had worked for his father, Howard, at Dunphey Ice Co.
When he was 11 months old, George’s family moved to 324 Chestnut St. where he lived until entering the Navy in 1962.
George attended Haddonfield schools; he was a member of the first kindergarten class to use the current kindergarten room at Central. Graduated HMHS in 1960.
His first job, besides being a paper boy, was at Haddonfield National Bank on Kings Hwy. He then moved over to Camden Trust Co. before going away in 1962. While working at the bank, he attended Pearce Business School in Phila., PA.
During his 4 years in the Navy, he went to Great Lakes Naval Training Center, then to Patuxent River, MD, Lakehurst, NJ, Monterey, CA and then 2 ½ years at Wheeler AFB in Wahiawa, Hawaii!
George came home to Haddonfield and married his current wife, Carol Merrick. They just celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary on December 3, 2016. They have 3 children: George, Jr. who lives in Haddonfield with his sons Jake, Christopher and Jared; Geoff(rey) who lives in Barrington with his wife Nancy and their daughters Samantha and Marissa. Daughter Amy lives in Pagosa Springs, CO with her fiancé Tony.
George went to work at Haddon Fire Co. #1 in November, 1967 and stayed there until June, 1996. While a dutyman, he also worked his way thru the ranks of the fire co., as a lieutenant and a captain, before becoming chief in 1989. He also worked as Fire Code Official. He also worked with the borough fire marshal.
He has been or is affiliated with the following organizations:
Haddon Fire Co. #1 on the co.s’ Line officers committee, Executive officers committee, Relief Assn., Exempt Assn, Haddonfield Ambulance Assn. Board of Directors, Camden Co. Firemen’s Assn., Camden County Fire Chiefs Assn., Hero Scholarship Fund, NJ State Fire Chiefs Assn. as member and board member, National Assn. of Fire
Chiefs Eastern Division, American Legion Post 38, and Rotary of Haddonfield.
Since retiring from the fire co, George has worked as a clerk in several liquor stores, as a driver for a local floral shop, and is currently in his sixth year as a crossing guard at Lincoln and Chestnut at Central Middle School. Everyone knows him as Mr. George!
Photo: E. G. Quinn Photography.