Through 57 years of marriage, Carolyn and Gary Cox have dedicated their lives to strengthening Chatham County’s community
By Morgan Cartier Weston | Photography by John Michael Simpson
Chatham might be experiencing unprecedented growth, but in Goldston, front porches still double as gathering places and neighbors feel more like extended family. It is here, on a quiet country road just east of town, that Gary Cox and Carolyn Cox have built a life and love that’s as enduring as it is inspiring. This November, the couple will celebrate 57 years of marriage and deepening their roots right where they are.
Their story is, in many ways, a love letter to Chatham County: to its people, its pace and the kind of connection that only comes from staying put long enough to truly belong.
Gary arrived in Goldston in 1968 for a job at Saco-Lowell Shops, a textile machine manufacturer, leaving the close-knit familiarity of his native Harnett County. It was an adjustment. “It was really challenging for me,” he says. “Back home, everybody knew everybody. We visited each other, worked on the farm together. When I came here, it was quieter – you saw folks at church or the grocery store, and that was about it.” But over time, Gary didn’t just adapt – he became an integral part of his new community.
Carolyn, on the other hand, has always called Goldston home. Her roots run deep, tied to generations who lived, worked and built their lives on the same land the family still cherishes today. Their love story began with a chance meeting after each had heard about the other through an important mutual acquaintance: Carolyn’s brother, Rufus Bynum Jr., who worked with Gary. The pair finally met at the town fair, and what followed was a whirlwind romance: “We didn’t date but about three months,” Carolyn says. “We were engaged for six months, then got married. I suppose it was meant to be.”
Their partnership over the years has been grounded in mutual respect and a shared belief in simply enjoying life together. Whether it’s heading out for an evening drive or catching a movie, they’ve held onto the small rituals that keep their connection strong – including a policy of open communication. Their advice for a long union is simple: “If you have a problem, you try to talk it out,” Carolyn says. “And if you can’t talk it out, just step away and take a breath.”
That same sense of commitment extends beyond their marriage and into their work and community. Both Gary and Carolyn dedicated their professional lives to the University of North Carolina – Gary as transportation coordinator for the school of social work and Carolyn in graduate admissions with the department of physics and astronomy. Their careers reflected a shared value: serving others and strengthening the systems that support communities.
Carolyn’s influence has been the steady heartbeat of home, while Gary’s has often been felt out in the wider community. He has become a familiar face across Chatham County through his involvement in countless organizations – serving on the board of elections, working with housing initiatives, supporting the Chatham County Partnership for Children and contributing to efforts like Chatham Habitat for Humanity. “I enjoy getting involved – with politics, with community activities,” he says. “I just like being part of what’s going on.”
Gary’s leadership has touched everything from youth programs to civic engagement, even earning him recognition including the Order of the Long Leaf Pine from then Gov. Roy Cooper. Service isn’t something the couple does for accolades and titles – it’s a way of life. “If one of us has a project, we all get involved,” Gary says. “That’s just how our family works.”
Their sons, Jace Cox and Timir “TC” Cox, grew up watching Gary in action and have carried that sense of service forward in their own ways, stepping into leadership roles, serving on boards and building businesses that keep them connected to the community. “We learned from our dad’s example,” says TC, who owns and operates Bynum Cox Lawn Care. “Watching him be involved – it paved the way for us.” Today, four generations of the Cox family live in Chatham County, a rarity that speaks volumes.
In Goldston, their story is woven into the fabric of the town itself. That connection is perhaps most evident in the land they call home. Gary and Carolyn’s home sits just to the left of TC’s – the house that Carolyn herself grew up in. Behind them, Jace has built his home, too. “Our great-grandfather worked hard on this land and worked hard to keep it,” Jace says. What was once a thriving farm remains part of the family’s legacy.
Carolyn reflects on her childhood, when the town was bustling with small businesses and everyday conveniences. “We even had two grocery stores,” she says. There were quieter periods over the decades, but today, “Goldston is starting to turn around,” she says. “The younger generation is bringing new energy, and it’s good to see.”
Community events like the Goldston Christmas Parade are examples of that energy and bring people together in ways that feel both fresh and familiar. There’s a sense of momentum, a feeling that the town is rediscovering itself while still honoring its past. “It’s just a joy to see what’s happening now,” Carolyn says. “It’s going to be a great change.”
It’s just another chapter in a story for the Cox family, one that continues to unfold right where it began. They are more than witnesses to the passage of time; they’ve helped shape their town. Gary’s advice to anyone interested in becoming more involved is to simply go for it. “You gotta be able to step out, not be afraid,” he says. As the Cox family legacy shows, that motto may open more doors than you expect.
At a time when “retirement” often means relocating, downsizing or starting over somewhere new, Gary and Carolyn have chosen to stay – not just aging in place but in community. Surrounded by family, supported by relationships built over decades and grounded in a deep sense of belonging, their version of retirement is less about slowing down and more about staying connected.
