Authorine Bernadette Cox's Obituary
Authorine B. Cox
Authorine Bernadette Bernard was born in New Orleans, Louisiana on April 9, 1910, and departed this life on June 2, 2013 in Oakland, California, having been blessed to achieve the grand age of 103 years.
She was born to Christian parents at a time when slavery was a recent memory and Jim Crow Laws mandated de jure segregation in the South and de facto segregation in other regions of the United States.
Her father, Harry Bernard, Sr. (born circa 1890) was a well known lyric tenor who performed throughout the United States and Canada ' often collaborating with the famous pianist and composer Jelly Roll Morton and other jazz pioneers. Her mother, Sarah Authorine Bernard (nee Hart, aka Sarah A. Turner, 1891 ' 1983) was a shopkeeper and homemaker.
Early in her childhood, the family moved north ' to Chicago, Illinois. Authorine and her brother were raised in the city’s Englewood neighborhood, where they were nurtured within a close-knit community.
Authorine first came to Northern California in the mid 1940’s, to visit a childhood friend. On October 4, 1947, she was united in marriage with Melvin Lewis Cox (1899 ' 1999), at the South Berkeley Community Church. Together, they were to become the dedicated parents of Melvin Harry Cox (born 1951), and the devoted grandparents of Kimberly Rochelle Cox (born 1991).
She was the beloved sister of Harry Madison Bernard (1908 ' 1995) and the cherished sister-in-law of Emma Lorene Cox, Elmer Richard Cox, Annie Mae Cox, Nathaniel Howard Cox, Ada Catherine West and Edwin Flournoy Cox, all of whom preceded her in death. She is fondly remembered by a host of cousins, nieces, nephews, godchildren, friends and neighbors.
Authorine loved to travel, and she particularly loved Hawaii ' visiting that state on numerous occasions. Memorable international destinations included Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Greece, Kenya, Paris (France) and Toronto (Canada).
Taking full advantage of the free 'passes' afforded through her husband’s employment with the Santa Fe Railroad, Authorine and her young son would return to the Chicago area by train each summer – and again during the winter holidays. This pattern extended from the mid 1950’s through the mid 1960’s. Memorable summer days were spent on the shores of Lake Michigan, at the summer home of Carlotta S. Brown ' a dear friend (and one of Melvin’s godmothers). Union Pier, Michigan provided a nurturing and protective haven for many Eastern European, Jewish and African-American families, like Authorine’s, who faced the harsh realities of discrimination and bigotry in other resort areas.
Developing an appreciation for sports that was shared by her mother, brother, husband and son, she enjoyed a variety of live and televised competitions. During her long and productive lifetime, ‘Auntie Art’ was to witness (among other events) a Joe Louis bout in New York’s Yankee Stadium, the historic USA vs USSR Dual Track Meet at Stanford University (July, 1962), The 4th All-Africa Games in Nairobi, Kenya (August, 1987), rodeos and livestock expositions at the Cow Palace, horse shows at Oakland’s Sequoia Arena and numerous baseball games at Wrigley Field (Chicago), Comiskey Park (Chicago), Candlestick Park, The Oakland Coliseum and AT&T Park.
To the end, Authorine was an avid supporter of the San Francisco Giants ' watching a final game just one day before being called home. Her favorite baseball personalities included: Davey Lopes, Dennis Eckersley, Vida Blue, Ron Cey, Dusty Baker, Pablo Sandoval and Leon Joseph ‘Bip’ Roberts' who she referred to as ‘my little man…’
A resident of the East Bay for over 65 years, she actively supported a variety of charitable causes and civil rights organizations including: The Southern Poverty Law Center, The American Heart Association, The Lutheran Human Relations Association and Beth Eden Baptist Church. In her memory, the family will continue support of these institutions.
During her working years, ‘Mrs. Authorine’ was employed at the Supreme Life Insurance Company in Chicago and at the War Department (now the U.S. Department of Defense) in Washington, DC. In later years, she was affiliated with the Field Enterprises Educational Corporation – where she was consistently among the Bay Area’s top sales associates in the marketing of The World Book Encyclopedia, Childcraft, The Cyclo-Teacher and related products.
Her passing is mourned in many parts of the United States, and in a variety of communities internationally. The family has received expressions of grief and support from a diversity of locations including Spring, Texas; Calgary, Alberta (Canada); Johns Island, South Carolina; Mombasa, Kenya; Guangzhou, China and Dhaka Bangladesh.
Authorine B. Cox will be remembered as a warm, friendly, nurturing and persuasive personality – a classy lady with a sense of humor and of history.
What’s your fondest memory of Authorine?
What’s a lesson you learned from Authorine?
Share a story where Authorine's kindness touched your heart.
Describe a day with Authorine you’ll never forget.
How did Authorine make you smile?