Margaret Kennard Cox, 84, passed away February 18, 2016 in Provo, Utah. She was born October 19, 1931 in Overton, Nevada, where she enjoyed, with her family, singing, having fun and a lot of hard work. She was the third of five children born to John Gleason and Sarah Leona Davidson Kennard. Margaret attended the LDS Primary regularly. She loved to read, rollerskate, play dolls, climb trees and take tumbling lessons. Margaret and her sister Lanore spent about a month on their aunt and uncle's ranch in Calio, Utah when they were in their early teenage years. Both really enjoyed riding horses and learning about ranch life with no electricity or running water. Ever since this time Margaret has dearly loved horses and talked about this experience often with family and friends. In high school she participated in pep club, band, choir and loved to read, ice skate, dance and play in piano recitals. She graduated from Seminary and Montpelier High School in Montpelier, Idaho in 1949. She then attended Utah State University in Logan, Utah where she graduated in Foods and Nutrition with a minor in Elementary Education. Following graduation, Margaret began interning to become a registered dietician at the VA Hospital near Santa Monica, California. After 1 ½ years in California, she returned to Utah to work in the VA Hospital in Salt Lake City, Utah.

After much thought and prayer, she accepted a mission call to go to the Samoa Apia Mission in the Samoan Islands. On December 5, 1956, Margaret entered the LDS Church Mission Home in Salt Lake City, UT. On New Years Eve 1957 in San Francisco, CA, she boarded the English liner “Oransay” with other missionaries to serve a mission for two years on the Islands of Samoa. Much of her missionary service was to work with the youth. She worked with the LDS Church school in Pesega, helped members prepare to go to the New Zealand temple that had recently opened, and traveled with a health team to help the people upgrade their general health through better nutrition and sanitary procedures. In January of 1959, Margaret and three of her friends were released from their missions in Samoa, and sailed from Apia, Samoa on the ship “Tofua” to begin their trip around the world. Among the places they visited were Fiji, New Zealand, Austrailia, Indonesia, Sicily, Italy, Switzerland, Germany, Belgium, France, England, Holland, Suez Canal and Canada.

After returning to Preston, Idaho June of 1959, Margaret accepted a position as chief dietitian at the state hospital in Provo, Utah. In January 1961, she moved to Palo Alto, California and worked in the Veterans Administration Hospital. She met Jim Cox at Mutual Improvement Association (MIA) and fell in love after enjoying the areas sights, eating places, opera and church activities. They were married on October 17, 1962 in the LDS Logan Utah temple. In September 1964, they moved to Logan, Utah where Jim received his master’s degree.

In June 1966, Jim and Margaret moved to Corvallis, Oregon. Margaret worked as a dietician at the Good Samaritin Hospital while Jim attended Oregon State University working on his PhD. In September 1968, they moved to Springfield, Oregon where they made many close friends. Margaret worked in the school district as a nutritionist, and different hospitals and rest homes as a dietician. In the spring of 2004, Jim and Margaret moved to Pleasant Grove, Utah to be closer to family.

Margaret was an active member of the LDS Church all her life and held many callings. She was a loving wife, mother and grandmother. Margaret was always able to, “see the sunshine peeking through the clouds.” She especially enjoyed musicals, playing the piano and singing in the choir.

Margaret is preceded in death by her husband Jim; sisters Louise Kennard and Lanore Kennard George, and brother John R. Kennard. She is survived by her brother Richard Kennard, daughters Karen Cox, Susan (Leonard) Howe, Cynthia (Ken) Burraston, her son Kevin Cox, and 17 grandchildren.

A viewing will be held Friday, February 26, 2016 from 7-8:30 pm at the Olpin Family Mortuary, 494 South 300 East, Pleasant Grove. Funeral services will be held Saturday, February 27, 2016 at 11:00 am in the Pleasant Grove Nineth Ward Chapel, 455 East 200 South, Pleasant Grove; with a viewing one hour prior to the services. Interment will be in the Logan City Cemetery, Logan Utah.