Frank Delaun Kelsey Cox
Frank Delaun Kelsey Cox, loving husband to Pamela Slagle-Cox and father of two, passed away peacefully at home on Jan 18, 2020, at age 86.
A 59 year resident of Santa Barbara, Frank will be remembered by the community as a beloved Professor of Psychology at SB City College (1961 – 1989), a patron of the Santa Barbara Symphony, a near-permanent and sometimes vocal fixture on the tennis courts of the Santa Barbara Tennis Club, and as an actor in the 1980’s under the direction of Pope Freeman at the Lobero Theater where he performed in a number of Neil Simon plays including his favorite role as Felix Unger in The Odd Couple.
He will be remembered by his family and friends for his affability, sense of humor and love of life. While teaching was his true passion, he considered himself a ‘jack of all trades, master of none’ whose interests included tennis, skiing, sailing, camping, motorcycles, cars, travel and more.
He will be remembered as a loving husband of 43 years to Pamela, with whom he enjoyed a life of love and adventure.
He will be remembered as an accomplished author, who published six titles, including his marriage and family textbook, ‘Human Intimacy’, which went to eleven editions before being handed over to another author. Although proud of that work, his most gratifying writing came in recent years in the form of the 72 interviews he conducted with Santa Barbara WWII veterans. These articles were published in the Santa Barbara News Press over several years and have just been released in book form: ‘Stories of Service, Santa Barbara Veterans’.
He will be remembered as an avid and adventurous traveler whose footprints may be found across the world: from overland travel through Afghanistan, trekking with Dani tribe in Irian Jaya, motorcycling in Europe, America, and Africa to finding a tennis match in Ouagadougou Burkina Fasso.
Frank received a BA in Psychology from Occidental College, after which he served two years in the Army as a medic in Germany. Determined to make the most of his time there, he learned the German language, ran hurdles for the All Army track team, read and travelled extensively. He then returned to Occidental and earned his Masters Degree, and completed his doctorate at UCSB.
He is survived by his wife Pam; his son Randall and his family: wife Linda and sons Alexander, Brandon and Cameron; his daughter Michelle and her family, Stephanie (Brian), Max, Isabelle and Jake. And most recently two great granddaughters, Harley and Atlas. He is also survived by his first wife Brigitte, who remains an integral part of the family.
A Celebration of Frank’s life will be held at 4pm on Saturday, March 28, 2020, at the La Cumbre Country Club. Memorial donations to Scholarship Foundation of Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara Symphony or Boys & Girls Club of Santa Barbara are preferred in lieu of flowers.