Beverly Jean Cox, 79, of Newark, Delaware, left us on September 18, 2022, losing a fierce battle with multiple illnesses. Despite her diminutive frame, she bravely fought and won bouts against cancer and heart disease. Her last fight, however, was not a fair one, but she was fearless to the very end.

Beverly was born in Wilmington, Delaware on February 25, 1943, the daughter of Charles Keeler of Exeter, NY and Louise Ciemania of Wilmington. Beverly’s parents separated when she was very young, and she and her mother were taken in by her grandmother and numerous aunts, uncles, and cousins in a row home on Wilmington’s East Side. Her mother’s second husband, Robert L. Phillips, became the man Beverly always called her father.

Beverly was class valedictorian of St. Peter’s High School in New Castle, and attended the University of Delaware. Beverly was employed by Bank of Delaware for over 25 years, beginning as a teller, and working her way up to head teller, branch manager, and ultimately head of branch operations. Disillusioned by the local bank’s acquisition by a much larger corporation, she decided to follow her son and daughter to Philadelphia, where they were both attending college, and began a new career as an administrator for a culinary school. Beverly’s brief stint there gave her an appetite for the restaurant industry, and her next stop was Rehoboth Beach. As personnel director, she was instrumental in helping Grotto Pizza grow from a small local chain to a regional favorite.

When Beverly’s daughter Lauren opened a restaurant in downtown Rehoboth, Bev helped out at nearly every position, from dishwasher to hostess, and was like a second mom to the many young employees who were living far from home as seasonal employees. Her last job, and the one that Beverly enjoyed most, was as Mom-Mom to her grandson Dylan, the “light of her life.”

Beverly was kind, generous, strong, intelligent, and a good friend to all. She leaves behind her son Brian Cox (Diane Willette), her daughter Lauren Cox-Ristenbatt (Ed Ristenbatt), and her grandson Dylan Ristenbatt, all of Newark. She also leaves behind her brother Bob “Flip” Phillips (Karen), nieces Kate and Clare, nephew James, many cousins from the Ciemania, Keeler, and Cox families, and her former husband Robert Cox. Beverly will be dearly missed by all.

A memorial service will take place at 2:00 PM on Tuesday, September 27 at R.T. Foard and Jones Funeral Home, 122 W. Main St. Newark, Delaware. The visitation begins at 1:00 PM. The family requests no flowers.