Emmetsburg, IA (Northwestiowanow.com) — A Palo Alto County native who dedicated her life to studying viruses has passed away. 77 year old Nancy Cox was the valedictorian of her high school class in Emmetsburg, graduated with honors from ISU in Ames, and received her doctorate at the University of Cambridge in England.

Cox served as the director of the World Health Organization’s Collaborating Center for Surveillance, Epidemiology and Control of Influenza form 1992 to 2014; and served as the Director of the CDC’s entire influenza division from 2006 until 2014.

Her obituary says her honors included the CDC’s Lifetime Ahievement Award, Federal Employee of the Year, and being named one of Time Magazine’s “People Who Shape the World.”
Cox was living in Atlanta, Georgia when she passed away in April.