Age, Biography and Wiki

Geraldine Cox (Geraldine Dorothea Cox) was born on 1945 in Adelaide, Australia, is an Australian founder of a Cambodian orphanage. Discover Geraldine Cox's Biography, Age, Height, Physical Stats, Dating/Affairs, Family and career updates. Learn How rich is she in this year and how she spends money? Also learn how she earned most of networth at the age of 79 years old?

Popular As Geraldine Dorothea Cox
Occupation Founder and president of Sunrise Cambodia
Age 79 years old
Zodiac Sign
Born 1945, 1945
Birthday 1945
Birthplace Adelaide, Australia
Nationality Australia

We recommend you to check the complete list of Famous People born on 1945. She is a member of famous founder with the age 79 years old group.

Geraldine Cox Height, Weight & Measurements

At 79 years old, Geraldine Cox height not available right now. We will update Geraldine Cox's Height, weight, Body Measurements, Eye Color, Hair Color, Shoe & Dress size soon as possible.

Physical Status
Height Not Available
Weight Not Available
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Dating & Relationship status

She is currently single. She is not dating anyone. We don't have much information about She's past relationship and any previous engaged. According to our Database, She has no children.

Family
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Geraldine Cox Net Worth

Her net worth has been growing significantly in 2023-2024. So, how much is Geraldine Cox worth at the age of 79 years old? Geraldine Cox’s income source is mostly from being a successful founder. She is from Australia. We have estimated Geraldine Cox's net worth, money, salary, income, and assets.

Net Worth in 2024 $1 Million - $5 Million
Salary in 2024 Under Review
Net Worth in 2023 Pending
Salary in 2023 Under Review
House Not Available
Cars Not Available
Source of Income founder

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Timeline

1945

Geraldine Dorothea Cox (born c. 1945) is the founder of Sunrise Cambodia, a charity that was originally established as an orphanage in the province of Kandal, in Cambodia, and now extends its services to sustainable development and family support in several provinces of the country.

Born around 1945 in the foothills of Adelaide, Geraldine Cox had two older sisters, Sandra and Marlene, and described herself the "problem child" of the family.

Her Father, Norm Cox, was a hard-working milkman and her mother Dorothy Cox was a housewife.

Geraldine left school at age 15 and worked in several secretarial jobs in Adelaide.

1964

In 1964 she had a year abroad in Europe, and worked as a secretary in a London office.

1969

After moving to Coober Pedy to work as a miner in 1969, Cox began her career at the age of 25 working for the Department of Foreign Affairs in 1970.

1971

Her first overseas posting was to Phnom Penh in 1971.

The country was in turmoil at the time, with the Vietnam war at the border and American B52 planes dropping bombs.

After Cox found that she was unable to bear children of her own, she adopted a baby daughter, Lisa, from a Cambodian orphanage in 1971.

However she learned early on that Lisa was profoundly mentally and physically ill, suffering from deafness, epilepsy and diabetes.

She cared for the child throughout her infancy and early childhood, giving her up after seven years to a full-time care centre in Adelaide.

Theo Palaxides was her boyfriend and long-time partner in Adelaide, and they remain friends after ending their relationship long ago.

1972

Major On Kon, a Cambodian fighter pilot, became her romantic partner during her posting in Phnom Penh in 1972.

1973

Her following overseas postings included working for Australian Embassies in Manila (1973-1978), Bangkok (1978-1981), Tehran and Washington D.C. After resigning from the government in 1987, Cox worked for eight years at the Chase Manhattan Bank in Sydney.

1984

In 1984 Cox married Mahmoud Rastegar, an Iranian national who worked as an IBM project manager.

Rastegar relocated with Cox on her posting to Washington, D.C. in 1984, but they ended their marriage in 1990.

1993

Cox's original experiences in Cambodia never left her, and while in Australia in 1993, she helped found the Australia Cambodia Foundation, which operates Sunrise Cambodia today.

1995

She moved to Cambodia permanently in 1995 where she worked as an Executive Assistant for the Cabinet Director in the Cabinet of the then First Prime Minister of Cambodia, HRH Prince Norodom Ranariddh.

In her spare time she assisted Princess Marie, wife of Prince Norodom, in operating and supporting a residential education centre for orphaned children.

1997

When a military coup occurred in July/August 1997, Cox realised her position of responsibility in looking after the children of the orphanage, as Princess Marie and her political associates had fled the country to save themselves.

Within the orphanage she became widely known to the children as "M’Day Thom" (meaning Big Mum).

Austcare contacted Cox to be the keynote speaker at their October 1997 Refugee Week in Australia.

After delivering this speech at the National Press Club in Canberra Geraldine's media profile gained much more public exposure and she began appearing in radio and TV segments to talk about her cause.

In September 2022, at the age of 77, Cox handed leadership of Sunrise Cambodia over to former ABC journalist Tracey Shelton.

1999

She was granted Cambodian citizenship by a royal decree from King Norodom Sihanouk in 1999, around the time that she founded the orphanage.

Cox remained at the helm of Sunrise Cambodia until September 2022, when she handed over to ABC journalist Tracey Shelton.

2000

Cox is the author of the book Home is Where the Heart Is, an account of her life and the lives of some of the children she has cared for, published in 2000.

Cox is the subject of the documentary My Khmer Heart, made by Australian filmmakers Janine Hosking and Leonie Lowe.

This documentary won the Hollywood Film Festival Documentary of the Year Award in 2000 and has since been screened by HBO and Discovery Channels.

2001

In January 2001 Cox was made a Member of the Order of Australia "For service to the welfare of children through the establishment, financing and administration of an orphanage in Cambodia."

She has also received the Centenary Medal, "For service to the welfare of children in Cambodia".

Other awards and accomplishments include: