Island Icon: Nancy Cox, The Twirler

Written by Gail Babbs with contributions by Mary Ellen Cortellini, Coronado Historical Association Volunteer

My mother, Nancy Cox, began her freshman year at Coronado High School during the peak of World War II, in the fall of 1943.

She was the youngest of three daughters, Dorothy, Esther, and Nancy, born to Thomas and May Cox, at Coronado Emergency Hospital on April 19, 1929. They lived in a Craftsman bungalow on I Avenue. During the war her father, my grandfather, was in the Navy and stationed at North Island. He was a proud and longtime aircraft mechanic (aviation machinist’s mate) having served in World War I as well. Young people in the 1940s assisted the war effort by being good students, good citizens, and patriotic Americans. They were unwavering, unconditional, and enduring in their love of this country.

My mother had enormous school spirit and in her senior year, Class of 1947, was one of the Majorettes in the school’s marching band. She spoke highly of this honor throughout her lifetime. No one had more pride in Coronado High School than my mother. Looking through her Beachcomber school annuals one can see her unrivaled enthusiasm to make the Green Wave football games and rallies memorable and special for all those in attendance. I have her baton with her name inscribed at the top, and as a little girl I can remember

sneaking into her closet and trying to pull it out, though it was very heavy for me to lift. It didn’t stop me from pretending I was leading the band as I strutted around the backyard. She would eventually find me and then her baton was returned to her closet. To this day, her baton is one of my

most prized possessions because it sym bolizes the enduring love she had for her school. It defined her and her youth.

When the Village Theater opened its doors in March 1947, my mother and her classmates were some of the first in attendance. They no longer had to travel by

ferry to downtown to see the latest movies. Favorites were The Two Mrs. Carrolls with Barbara Stanwyck and Humphrey Bogart, and The Secret Life of Walter Mitty with Danny Kaye. And she and her friends would listen to the records of singers such as Francis Craig’s Near You, Ted Weems’ Heartaches along with legendary crooner Frank Sinatra singing Mam’selle. There were endless beach days and diving and swimming at the Hotel del Coronado pool. My mother always said the best recipe for the perfect summer was finding: 1. A white bathing suit and 2. Using iodine and baby oil for the perfect tan.

I also remember my mother telling me about some early television shows, in black and white, such as Kraft Theatre which was one of the favorites. And the first televised Baseball World Series took place in 1947. It was a game between the New York Yankees and the Brooklyn Dodgers. The Yankees won! Roller skating at Monty’s, also known as the Palisade, downtown was another favorite pastime, and that is where she met my father and fell in love.

Her second love was a horse, and his name was Pal. Every weekend my mother and grandfather would board the San Diego Ferry to take a trip across the Bay to Mission Valley where the stable was located.

My mother was special in so many ways. She had a huge influence in my life and was a tremendous role model. I feel that she was, in fact, the greatest asset in my life. Without her, I would not be the strong, independent woman I am today. She instilled in me the importance of the love of family, school, and community. Nancy Cox “marched” through the war years, and beyond, with beauty and an unparalleled zest for life. She represented her high school magnificently and she, and her family, made Coronado a better place to live. I am living in this beautiful world thanks to her, and whenever I think of my mother, my heart fills with love and hope for the future.

And to this day, whenever I hear the sweet sounds of a marching band out on a football field, it brings soft tears to my eyes, and a big smile to my face.