Birth date: Dec 6, 1924 Death date: Nov 14, 2022
Carol L. Cook Kaufman, 97, of Clinton, passed away Monday, November 14, 2022 at the Alverno. Memorial Services will be 2:00 PM, Friday, November 18, 2022 at the Clinton Chapel of the Snell-Zornig Funeral Home. A visitation will b Read Obituary
Had Carol for 6th grade math. She was a wonderful teacher. She was a no-nonsense instructor and a good friend. Rest in Peacr Mrs K
I met Carol at the YWCA in an aquasize class. Carol was a sweet and kind lady. I didn’t know her well or for long, but she always had a smile and a kind word. She was pretty outside and inside
My mom recently gave me a picture I drew in Miss Cook’s class. Mom said Miss Cook was going through some things and thought she - or I might want it. Happy memories of 6th Grade at Hawthorne because of Moss Cook!
Miss Cook, as we knew her, was a favourite teacher. She could relate to young people. An excellent teacher who made sixth grade a place you wanted to be.
Miss Cook- we all knew her as that. I graduated from 6th grade from the class of '65 from Hawthorne School. My first contact with Miss Cook was in 5th grade when I made the basketball team and softball teams with the 6th graders. It was different having a female coach, but I never thought about it. She knew what she was doing. I can still remember we played 6 Clinton elementary schools in basketball and softball. We were 4-2 as 6th graders in softball. Our 6th grade track team won the city elementary quarter mile relay at the high school practicing running around the oak trees on the south side of the school yard. We used to play softball daily after school in front of the oak trees. Miss Cook let us use the softball and bat to play "500." We had a softball field on the southeast corner of the schoolyard. We had to practice after school in other school's gyms because we didn't have one. But Miss Cook always watched out for us and figured out how we could get there, especially Horace Mann. We used to practice softball at Irving School in south Clinton. The principal Mr. Blanchard was friends with Miss Cook.
Of course, she was famous for her students to design and paint the big windows in the classroom at Christmas time. She always had the classroom lights on at night before Christmas. I designed one window with a toy soldier and had the lead on painting it, though all students participating. She sent all her students a handwritten card at Christmas with a picture of "your" window. I still have it. It was light green stationary. Almost 58 years ago.
She used to read to us daily after lunch. We didn't have a cafeteria. I can still see her standing tall at the front of the class holding up the book and reading to us.
Another time she asked the class what their favorite candy bar was. Everybody had one. They were all 5 cents a piece at that time. Mine was a Hollywood bar. A classmate, Sue Speakman, had a favorite that was 10 cents. So, Miss Cook gave everyone else 2 candy bars to compensate. Cool!
I went to Kirkwood through 3rd grade. That was all the grades at that time. They split up the grades 4-6 after that to Hawthorne or Jefferson, depending where you lived. Jefferson was a relatively new school. Hawthorne was really old. But as it turned out, it was the best thing that happened to me- going to Hawthorne.
I remember a whole lot more at Hawthorne, but 1 more thing I need to write. At the end of 6th grade, the class was responsible for putting on a show for the rest of the school. My friends and I put on a play about the Bowery Boys. They were similar to the Three Stooges, but we liked them at the time. Miss Cook let us practice after school. Still remember that day.
And I went back to see her in 7th grade. A lot of us did. OK, one more. In high school, I played basketball through my sophomore year of high school. Miss Cook always came to the high school games. I didn't play much, but one time I was told to come in. I was supposed to take my sweat pants off before going in, but I accidentally dropped my trunks also. I mooned Miss Cook. She was right behind me and laughed her head off.
Typical Miss Cook, I saw her and her husband at a restaurant in Davenport a few years ago. I introduced myself and she recognized me. She asked about my 2 younger sisters who also went to Hawthorne in the '60's. She was the best!
Loved Mrs. Kaufman as a teacher and was in the same sewing class with her 15 or so years ago and we were able to reconnect - an amazing woman and teacher who left a positive impact on many students in Clinton
Aunt Carol was kind and loving, and always made you feel you were someone special. We have many, many happy memories of Aunt Carol and Uncle Lou as they traveled far and wide to see family and friends. Our hearts are with Uncle Lou and all family and friends of Aunt Carol. The world is definitely a better place because you shared it with us. — Trinda and John Smith, Gary, Beth, Gabe and Breanna, and Laura, Ben, Logan, Aiden, Mira and Deacon.
One of my favorite teachers, she made you feel special, I am sure everyone in class felt the same. Our Christmas windows were Charlie Brown themed and were so much fun to create. Rest In Peace Miss Cook
