Mary Alice M. Cox
Mary Alice M. Cox, 95, of Clinton passed away at home on Aug. 25, 2026, after a short hospital stay. She was born in Clinton on Sept. 19, 1930, to James S. and Gertrude McGhee.
Mary graduated from Clinton High School and Knoxville Business College. She was a member of Sinking Springs United Methodist Church.
After business college, Mary worked as a secretary for department heads in engineering and chemistry at Maxon Construction Co. in Oak Ridge and Union Carbide Nuclear Corp. at the Y-12 plant. She later took 10 years away from the workforce to be a homemaker and spend time with her daughter.
In 1966, Mary returned to work, joining The Clinton Courier News. During her career at the newspaper, she wrote and edited news, created lifestyle and church pages, wrote obituaries and feature stories, covered other news as needed and took photographs. She also wrote Senior Cuisine and published the cookbook “The Recipe Box” for the Courier. She retired after 28 years with the newspaper.
After retiring from the Courier, Mary wrote for Senior Living Newspaper of Oak Ridge and proofread a monthly publication for the Tennessee Press Association in Knoxville.
From 1962 to 1971, she led Girl Scout Brownie, Junior and Cadette troops and served as a troop organizer. Beginning in 2005, she served as secretary for Norris United Methodist Church for four years.
Mary collected cookbooks and loved to cook and bake. Many of her recipes were published in Southern Living magazine.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Bennie L. Cox; parents, James S. and Gertrude McGhee; and brother, James A. McGhee.
Mary is survived by her daughter, Leigh Ann Payne and husband, Stephen, of Clinton; brother, Eddie McGhee and wife, Kay, of Clinton; and several nieces and nephews.
The family received friends Thursday, Aug. 27, 2026, at Holley-Gamble Funeral Home. A graveside service followed at Norris Memorial Gardens, with Pastor Brandon Berg officiating.
The family extends heartfelt gratitude to the Amedisys Hospice Care team for its loving care and support.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
Holley-Gamble Funeral Home is proud to serve the Cox family.
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