top of page

Shirley Ruth (McCormick) Cox

September 21, 1925 - January 02, 2015

Shirley Ruth (McCormick) Cox Obituary (Age 89) Shirley Ruth McCormick Cox, AKA Miss Mesa Bella Rumboogie, passed away peacefully surrounded by family and friends on January 2, 2015. Born on September 21, 1925, at Sacred Heart Hospital in Spokane, WA, her family knew her only as a kind, warm-hearted and cunning poker player, ballroom dance instructor at Arthur Murray's, the second-generation owner of Ted?s Tavern, a bartender at Lariat Inn, Madge's and the Cedar Tavern, a city bus driver, a newspaper delivery person for the Spokesman Review Newspaper, an employee at a Chinese restaurant in downtown Spokane called Chung King Inn, a 24-year volunteer at a local center for the blind, and a 10-year volunteer at Holy Family Hospital. Despite her long list of career accomplishments, she often stated and wanted everyone to know that her favorite job ever was being a Grandmother and that she "loved her children more than anything." The only child and daughter of George William McCormick, a welterweight fighter known by the moniker Monte McCormick, because he always got his man, and Viola Maud Roberts, born in Dupuyer, MT, family lore has it that Miss Mesa Bella Rumboogie?s grandfather, Merle Roberts, sold alcohol to cowboys, Indians and soldiers while in Montana and, at that time, you could get a bath, a bed and a shot of whiskey for only a nickel. Her mother was also famous for being an early proponent of legalized marijuana in Washington State, having inhaled as far back as the 1920?s while ?floating? down the highway in a friend?s big black shiny car. Also of note is the story of her grandfather getting out of jail after one year for moonshining and, at some point, moving to Spokane where he sold alcohol from a hotel across the street from the old Orpheum Theatre. Even then, he had to pay off the cops to operate. Miss Mesa Bella Rumboogie always took a certain pride in her family?s outlaw heritage and very much enjoyed regaling younger members of the family with these stories. For all of those out there who carry Miss Mesa Bella Rumboogie?s rebel blood in your veins, your role is to now smile through the pain, dote upon somebody close to you as you hold their hand in yours, make amends and, most importantly, turn to someone close to you and tell them how much you love them right now. These are some of the most important qualities that Miss Mesa Bella Rumboogie possessed and is also why the world is a little less colorful today than it was a day ago. She is survived by her husband Douglas Stoddard; sons Terry L. (Beverly) Wilson and Herb G. (Lyn) Wilson; daughter Lynn Dee (David) Gregory; grandsons Darian L. (Masako) Wilson, Micah R. (Melanie) Wilson, Donnie V. Tennison and Chris R. Gregory; granddaughter Tina L. Wilson and 10 great-grandchildren. A Funeral Service will be held at 11:30 am on Friday, January 9, 2015 at Heritage Funeral Home followed by Entombment at the Riverside Mausoleum. Memorial Contributions may be made to Hospice of Spokane Hospice House South, 121 S Arthur St, Spokane, WA 99202.

1 view

Recent Posts

See All
bottom of page