Erika Louise Cox, 38, of Klamath Falls, passed away April 29, 2020 of a ruptured brain aneurysm. Erika was born in Portland, Oregon on August 26, 1981. She lived in Tillamook until age seven then, because of her dad's Forest Service career, the family moved to Lakeview where she spent the rest of her school aged days. Erika was a very gifted athlete and scholar, graduating from Lakeview High School in 1999.
Following high school Erika went on to Eastern Oregon University where she played college volleyball. She studied two years there before transferring to Oregon State. During college summers she worked for the Bureau of Land Management for wildland fire, spending a lot of her time at Gerber Guard Station, and then with Lakeview Helitack. In 2004 Erika earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Oregon State University. Following college, she returned to Lakeview and worked for the Lake County Circuit Court. In 2008 she decided to leave the court and pursue a career in nursing. She moved to Klamath and worked diligently earning a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Oregon Health and Science University in 2011.
Her work as a registered nurse in Klamath was vast and exemplary. She started her career in 2011 with Sky Lakes Medical Center in the emergency department, where she originally crossed paths with her husband Zack, a skilled paramedic. In addition to her work in the ED, she worked for the hospital's flex team and worked supplemental for South Cascade Surgery Center. After having her son, Cody, she later made the move to radiation oncology where she was able to enjoy shorter workdays and spend more time with him. Erika was an extremely dedicated nurse and took the utmost care of her patients.
In 2015 Erika married her beloved husband, Zackary Cox of Klamath Falls. She and Zack built a great life together and welcomed the addition of their son Cody in August of 2017. In addition to being a wonderful wife and mother, Erika had a loved personality that lit up the room. She enjoyed things like camping, hiking, sports, concerts and traveling. She loved flowers and gardening, and was a talented seamstress, most recently making dozens of masks for the COVID crisis. She loved animals, especially her schnoodle, Loomis.
Erika will forever be missed by her husband, Zack; son, Cody; mother, Mary Coon of Carrollton, GA; brother, Ace Ariaz (Sarah Deforest) of Reno, NV; sister, Natalie (Ken) Shields of Carrollton, GA; Zack’s family: parents, Chuck and Kim Cox; brother, Luke (Lesley) Cox; Zack’s grandparents Art and Karen Lapsley, all of Klamath Falls.
Erika was preceded in death by her grandmothers Ellen Wilson and Margaret Coon, and her dad, Doug Coon.
Erika had the extremely rare ability to donate life to others through organ donation, including her cherished heart.
A memorial for Erika will be held at a later time. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Cancer Treatment Center of Sky Lakes, Pacific Northwest Transplant Bank, or Klamath County Fire District 1 Foundation.
Desert Rose Funeral Chapel is in charge of the arrangements
To send flowers
to the family or plant a tree
in memory of Erika Louise (Coon) Cox, please visit our floral store.