5 RAPS SHEET n SUMMER 2023 In memoriam: David C. Cox, 1937-2023 DAVID CHARLES COX, who served Portland State as science educator for three decades, died on May 3, 2023. The only child of educators John Randolph and Mildred (Fuge) Cox, David was born in Portland on March 23, 1937, lived in Sherwood and Hillsboro before moving to Albany in 1953, and graduated from Albany High School in 1955. He attended Oregon State University, received his Bachelor of Science degree in 1959, and became a commissioned officer in the U.S. Army Reserve. He was called to active duty with the U.S. Army Artillery at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, and served in Bamberg, Germany, for the remainder of his time on active duty. When he returned to the United States in 1961, David was the executive officer and battery commander of the Oregon National Guard in Newberg. David was a science and mathematics teacher at McMinnville High School for three years and at Rex Putnam High (Milwaukie) for 20 years. In 1965, he earned his master’s degree at OSU, and following that began teaching part-time at PSU. He also served as Oregon coordinator for the National Energy Foundation for five years. During a sabbatical year at Rex Putnam, he entered graduate studies at The Ohio State University in Columbus, earning a Ph.D. in 1982. He became a full-time professor of science education at PSU in 1984, retiring in 1995, and received emeritus status as associate professor. In 1988-91, Cox was principal investigator—working with Paul Hammond and Stephen Carlson (Geology)—of a $338,584 National Science Foundation grant to develop A Model for Studying Natural Phenomena Using Mt. St. Helens. The project selected 15 outstanding middle school and 15 outstanding high school science teachers from across the country who developed instructional materials for fellow teachers, participant administrators, and the academic science education community of participant locales. Following his retirement from PSU, David rounded out his 41-year career in science education at Willamette University in 2002. He was married to his high school sweetheart, Wilma May Yutzie, who preceded him in death. Remembrances can be made to the David and Wilma Cox Science Educator Scholarship that he established years ago at the PSU Foundation. —Rick Hardt, Professor Emeritus of Education PHYLLIS WILLERDINE KOENIG, who served Portland State as an accountant in the Budget Office, died on July 6 at age 95. Ms. Koenig was born August 6, 1927, to Raymond and Edith Phillips (née James) in Snohomish, Washington. Until she was 17, she lived in Eastern Oregon with her grandmother, Helena James, and graduated from McLoughlin Union High School in Milton-Freewater in 1946. She moved to Woodland, Washington, where she met and later married Adolph “Dolph” W. Koenig in 1952. The couple resided in Southeast Portland, where they raised two children. In 1969 they moved to Milwaukie, where she lived for more than 50 years. Ms. Koenig’s business career began when she entered the lumber industry as an accountant. She then worked in small businesses and real estate before joining the budget office of OSHU and, later, Portland State. After retiring from PSU, Ms. Koenig opened her own accountancy and taxation business. She grew her firm to some In memoriam: Phyllis Willerdine Koenig, 1927-2023 150 clients and operated it into her 80s. Her outside interests included music—she sang in the Portland Symphonic Choir—travel, genealogy, photography, serving as an elder in her church, and making and painting ceramic dolls. Ms. Koenig was preceded in death by her husband of 49 years, Dolph; and her later-in-life companion, William “Bill” Bell. She is survived by her children, Thomas P. Koenig, Sr., (Sheree), of Happy Valley, and Susan Koenig-Field (Ron) of Forest Grove, as well as several grandchildren and great-grandchildren. A memorial service was held on July 21 at Oak Hills Presbyterian Church, Milwaukie. She was interred at Willamette National Cemetery.
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