‘Supermom’ Juggles 15 Kids, Real Estate Firm

Supermom’s identity has finally been revealed.

She is mild-mannered real estate agent Mary Cox, single mother of 15 and grandmother of 15, with four more grandchildren expected before the end of the year.

Cox has been a single parent since 1974 when her husband of 29 years died of a heart attack. She not only reared the children, but within three years had her own office, Cox & Associates.

“I had a love affair,” she said, recalling that her husband Roy’s last words to her were, “I love you.”

Aged 4 to 17

But, with children ranging in age from 4 to 17, there was little time to indulge in grief.

“I never had a steady paycheck,” she said. “My only experience was part-time jobs.

“I wanted an undefined job to overcome the grief, one where I wouldn’t be home at 5 o’clock waiting for Roy to walk through the door. And I wanted flexible hours so I could be with the children.”

She made 22 transactions in her first eight months working in the world of real estate and three years later had a smooth-running home, a cook and her own office, which now has eight salespeople, a bookkeeper and a secretary.

“I appointed an older child to take care of a younger one,” Cox said. “My kids are known around town because they took any kind of job available and worked for everything they got.”

Cox said being a single parent “is the hardest thing in the world.”

‘Kids Are Potluck’

“Kids are potluck. I’ve had my heart broken by children many times. Many times I’ve been disappointed and then altogether glorified by what they’ve done.”

There are seven sons and eight daughters in the family. Seven are college graduates, with others still working on degrees.

A daughter in New York illustrates children’s books. “She’s a fine artist and has nine books to her credit,” the mother said proudly.

Daughter Maryanne, who publishes an interior design directory, recently was honored by the Western Publishers’ Assn. for her work.

Cox credits faith, humor and smooth organization for her success.