Sunderland , MA – Dr. Douglas Alan Cox died peacefully at home on August 1, 2026. He was surrounded by his family and friends. Douglas was 72 years old. Douglas was born in Melrose, MA to the late Hubert and Dorothy Cox.
Douglas was a graduate of UMass and also Cornell University, where he received his doctorate in Floriculture and Ornamental Horticulture and minors in Soil Science and Plant Pathology.
Douglas worked as an Assistant Professor at Auburn University before moving back to Massachusetts and working at UMass as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Plant and Soil Sciences.
Over the next 35 years Dr. Cox taught thousands of students in such courses as Greenhouse Management, Plant Propagation, and many others. Douglas also conducted many research projects and was editor of Floral Notes and The Mayflower.
Douglas is survived by his wife Flora, their son Andrew and their daughter Emily.
A memorial for Dr. Douglas A. Cox will be held on September 19, 2026 in the garden of Durfee Conservatory on the UMass campus in Amherst, MA at 3:00pm.
Click here to sign the guest book or honor their memory with flowers, donations, or other heartfelt tributes