Rancher remembered as 'courageous'

Memorial services will be 2 p.m. Sunday at the New Mexico Farm and Ranch Heritage Museum for Rob Cox, who died Friday, at Mesilla Valley Hospice, after a lengthy illness.

Cremation has taken place. In lieu of flowers, Cox's family requests that memorial donations be made to the New Mexico Farm and Ranch Heritage Museum.

For many years, Cox, 86, has been considered the patriarch of White Sands Missile Range. Prior to 1945, his family owned 150,000 acres on the east side of the Organ Mountains. About 90 percent of it was sold the U.S. government and became White Sands Proving Grounds and eventually White Sands Missile Range.

But the family retained the San Augustine ranchhouse it has owned since 1893 and Rob and his wife of 51 years, Murnie Cox, continued to live there.

"He's a man who had everything," said former WSMR spokesman Larry Furrow, who retired earlier this year. "He's the most courageous man I've known, the most honest man I've ever known, and quite simply the finest man I've ever known."

With the Cox ranch house within a quarter-mile of WSMR's main post, Cox frequently attended WSMR events and ceremonies the past 32 years. The most important building at WSMR, it's range control center, is named after Cox's father, W.W. Cox.

"He was quite patriotic," said Mark Cox, son of Rob Cox. "... He always said that selling the land to the government was the right thing to do. He often said that if we hadn't, we could have all ended up speaking German instead."

But Cox, a humble man, was more inclined to let his actions doing his talking. On a cold day in January 1945, 1st. Lt. Cox, as a member of Company A, 18th Tank Battalion, 8th Armored Division, led his platoon of M-4 Sherman Tanks, which he called "the Indians" in honor of his New Mexico heritage, into serious action on the Mosell River near Sinz, France.

Gunfire set the area ablaze and disabled several tanks, including Cox's. Although crew members were injured, Cox took action to protect his infantry coming up from the rear as well as maintain communications with other pined-down tanks.

In knee-deep snow and under fire, Cox ran from one tank to another to ensure communications were maintained. He also pulled an injured tank man to safety.

For gallantry in action during the Battle of the Bulge, Cox was awarded two Silver Stars and a Purple Heart.

But Cox rarely spoke about the military awards and downplayed his heroism.

"He didn't like talking about it," Mark Cox said. "He said medals didn't mean anything to him."

Cox was born in Las Cruces on Feb. 12, 1922 to Jim and Fannie Cox. He grew up at San Augustine Ranch and attended Las Cruces High School, where he was a star athlete, and a member of Las Cruces High's national champion stock judging team.

Steve Ramirez can be reached at sramirez@lcsun-news.com; (575) 541-5452.

WSMR patriarch

• Name: Robert C. Cox

• Age: 86

• Hometown: Las Cruces

• Family: Wife Marilyn "Murnie," sons Robert, James and Mark. Six grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

• Occupation: Cattleman, rancher, cowboy

• Public service: Former Sierra County commissioner, served on the New Mexico Constitutional Convention of 1970.

• Military service: Served with the Army's 8th Armored Division in World War II. Fought in the Battle of the Bulge and was awarded two Silver Star medals for gallantry in action.

• Education: Graduated from Las Cruces High School, where he played sports and was a member of the school's national champion stock judging team. Also graduated from Texas A&M University.