The family of former Miss Wagga Jeanette Cox (nee McGarry) has paid tribute to her kind nature after she died last month at the age of 76.
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Jeanette Cox, daughter of Geoffrey and Gladys McGarry, was born in Wagga in 1944 and grew up on Kincaid Street with her twin brother Geoffrey and sister Judy.
Ms Cox attended Wagga Wagga High School and was elected school captain in her final year before bringing her leadership skills to the Miss Wagga quest.
She was elected Miss Wagga in 1963 at the age of 19 and spent six weeks in Wagga's Kansas sister city Leavenworth as part of the role.
Her son Nigel Cox said her time as Miss Wagga and as a guest in Leavenworth was life-changing and the title came with a great deal of respect and hospitality at the time.
"The treatment was amazing for her, she felt pretty special," he said.
"It was a big highlight of her life for sure."
Ms Cox spent much of her 20s living on the Esplanade in Wagga with her husband Geoff and three sons; Simon, Nigel and Andrew.
The family moved to Sydney in 1971, but her ties to Wagga remained through her life.
"She had a really strong affinity with Wagga, her family were nearby in Marrar ... she had a lot of friends who she stayed in contact with over the years," Mr Cox said.
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A keen golfer and photographer, she lived an active life full of travel and remained very close to her twin brother.
She remained in Sydney and re-married John Loughnan in 2014.
Her six grandchildren, who live in Sydney, the Central Coast and Brooklyn, New York, were a big part of her life.
"Mum was just such a kind, gentle, honest person who was interested in other people, her friends were so important to her," Mr Cox said.
Ms Cox requested to be buried near her parents in Wagga, and her family will farewell her at a private funeral on September 11 with a wake at Romano's Hotel.