JACK COBB
Aug. 28, 1927-July 4, 2009
John Collier "Jack" Cobb, 81, passed away on Saturday afternoon at Kitty Askins Hospice Center.
A graveside service for the family will be held Tuesday at Willow Dale Cemetery followed by a memorial service at 11 a.m. at St. Stephens Episcopal Church, with
the Rev. Eugene Carpenter presiding.
Jack was born in Goldsboro on Aug. 28, 1927, to the late Carol Collier Cobb and William Borden Cobb. He was a graduate of Goldsboro High School and was a 1949 graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, with a degree in commerce. As a young man, Jack was in the Boy Scouts of America and was the recipient of the Eagle Scout Award.
Jack served his country in the United States Navy during World War II. He was commissioned by the United States Air Force in 1951 as a First Lieutenant during the Korean War in Okinawa, Japan. While stationed at Kadena Air Force Base, he was a finance officer. Jack later returned to New York City where he worked with an advertising agency and where he also studied art.
After returning to Goldsboro, Jack became the president of Cobb Motor Company and became very involved in his community. Jack had served as an officer in the North Carolina Automobile Dealers Association and served two terms as Commissioner of Goldsboro Redevelopment. He served as director of the Wayne County Junior Chamber of Commerce and was a member of the Goldsboro Rotary Club. Jack served as chairman and as director of the United Fund and Division Company. In 1956, he joined the Goldsboro Division of the North Carolina Symphony Society. He was instrumental in organizing the Goldsboro Art Center and served as its first president. In 1976, Jack was the recipient of the Art Council's Award. Jack served several terms on the North Carolina Art Society Board and one term as vice president. After his retirement, Jack taught art at the Arts Council of Wayne County. As an artist, Jack has had numerous exhibits throughout North Carolina.
Jack was a member of St. Stephens Episcopal Church and served three terms as a vestry member. He was awarded the first Boss of the Year Award by the Goldsboro American Business Women's Association. Jack was also instrumental in organizing the Goldsboro History Room and helped organize the present Friends of the Library program at the Wayne County Library. He was a member of the Society of the Cincinnati and had served as the chairman of the Wachovia Bank Board. Jack was currently serving as president of Cobb Distributing Company.
He is survived by his wife, Christian Oglesby Cobb; his children, Carter Christian Cobb Paxton and husband, William W. Paxton of Lynchburg, Va., Anne Oglesby Cobb Rasmussen and husband, Hans C. Rasmussen of New Bern, and John Collier Cobb Jr. and wife, Ana Paralta Cobb of Raleigh; his grandchildren, William Winfree Paxton Jr., Christian Montgomery Paxton, Walker Pettyjohn Paxton, John Collier Cobb III, John Alexander Cobb and John Christian Rasmussen.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his brother, William Borden Cobb Jr. and his sister, Caroline Cobb Parker.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to St. Stephens Episcopal Church, 200 N. James St., Goldsboro, N.C. 27530 or to Kitty Askins Hospice Center, 107 Handley Park Court, Goldsboro, N.C. 27534.
Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.seymourfuneralhome.
com.
(Pd)
Published in Obituaries on July 6, 2009 1:46 PM