Frank J. Cox, 76, of Lawrenceville died at his home on March 6. Born in Trenton, he was raised in Princeton and moved to Lawrenceville in 1988. Cox’s mother worked for RCA in West Windsor and his father ran a men’s clothing store on the corner of Nassau and Chambers streets from 1936 until the mid-1980s.
He was a graduate of Princeton High School in 1955 and the FBI National Academy in 1977. Cox, who began his law enforcement career in 1962 with Princeton Township Police Department, was tapped to be the first officer in the newly formed West Windsor Police Department in 1968. Often patrolling in his own car, he served as lieutenant and was appointed chief in 1980.
Toward the end of his career as police chief, he became the interim business administrator of West Windsor Township.
Prior to his law enforcement career, Cox worked for Opinion Research Corporation in Princeton doing developmental research with various corporations on personnel issues. He told the News that work helped give him insight into management and people skills that would later become valuable in his career as a police administrator.
He retired in 2001 with close to 40 years of law enforcement service. He was a past president of the NJ FBI National Academy Associates and the Mercer County Chiefs of Police. In 2008 the West Windsor Police Building was named the “Frank Cox Police Facility” in recognition of his leadership in the community.
Survivors include his wife of 30 years, Christine (Rapking) Cox; a daughter and son-in-law, Lisa A. and Joseph Gorski; granddaughter Kathryn Gorski; niece Kathy Hunt; nephews John, Timothy, and Mark Hunt; mother-in-law Hortenzia Rapking; sisters-in-law Caroline, Triana, MaryMarie, and Frances; and brother-in-law Mike.
The funeral was held March 12. Donations may be made to FBINAA Charitable Foundation, Box 165, Lecanto, FL 34465 (fbinaafoundation.org) or to the American Cancer Society.
