Remembering Jack Coxe: A Legacy of Dedication and Leadership

We are deeply saddened to announce the passing of long-time Glades Electric board President John (Jack) Coxe on Friday, June 21, 2024.

For over 30 years, Jack has been a tremendous asset to our company through countless hours of dedication he poured into serving the electric cooperative.

He was a native Floridian and retired from Florida Transport Company’s tallow plant in Miami where he worked as their general manager. Jack is survived by two daughters, eight grandchildren, and twelve great-grandchildren.

During his elementary and middle school years with most men away at war, Jack entered the work force at age eleven. He ran a paper route before school and later delivering fuel for the military during the Cuban Missile Crisis. Jack took advantage of every opportunity from starting a garage and gas station to purchasing a Ford F800 and entering the hauling business. This led to his employment as general manager of the tallow plant. Jack introduced practices at the plant to reduce costs and increase efficiency to cut the power bill in half.

He served as President of the board since 2008 and represented District 8 (Lake Josephine) since 1994. He also served as Secretary of the Board of Trustees and Treasurer on the Executive Board of the Florida Electric Cooperatives Association. He was a member of the board of the Florida Rural Electric Self-Insured Fund, the Florida Rural Electric Credit Union, and Seminole Electric Cooperative. Jack guided the cooperative through leadership transitions, significant hurricanes, and substantial changes in the electric utility industry.

Some of his many accomplishments were completing the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association Director Certificate Programs to earn the Credentialed Cooperative Director Certificate, the Board Leadership Certificate, and the Director Gold Credential. He was active in the Florida Lake Watch Volunteers, the Highlands Lake Association, the Lake Josephine Association and St. Catherine’s Church in Sebring.

To honor his many years of service to GEC, the Lake Josephine substation was renamed the John (Jack) Coxe Substation in 2023. He will be greatly missed at Glades Electric, but he will forever be remembered.

We send prayers of peace and comfort to his family and friends while grieving the passing of our dear Jack.