Obituary of Terry (Teresa) Ann Cook

The family of Teresa Ann Cook is sad to announce that she left us on June 10, 2023.  She was at her home and surrounded by loving family members.  We appreciate all the friends who called or visited her during her brief illness. 

Terry was born on Easter Sunday, April 13, 1952 in Berkeley, California while her parents and older brothers were living in a tent in the forests of Northern California.  Shortly after her birth, the family moved to Redwood Falls where she lived until she was nine years old.  The family of seven then moved to Eielson AFB in Alaska, traveling there on the unpaved ALCAN highway in a very crowded station wagon, the first of many adventures that became her life story.  She also lived in Nebraska, England and Germany before returning to Redwood Falls to graduate from high school.

Terry attended the University of Minnesota for her teaching degree and first taught elementary school inHastings.  Seeking an adventure, she was recruited to teach in Australia and worked in many different communities in the state of Victoria.  She taught music, art and physical education.  She loved her life in Australia as an expat, living and learning the Aussie way, which she shared with family members who came to visit.  She left Australia after 18 years and returned to the US to be closer to her family.  Once back in MN, she received her Masters degree in leadership from Augsburg University as well as an advanced certification in Special Education with an Autism specialty.  She finished her full time teaching career in the high school autism program in Farmington.  She continued to work with students in a consulting capacity after retirement to train and mentor new teachers in special ed/autism.

She loved to travel and travel she did.  Her vacations spanned the globe from Nandi, Fiji, Singapore, Thailand, Sri Lanka, New Zealand, Guatemala, Belize, Costa Rica and most recently to the Virgin Islands. She visited family in Egypt, Switzerland, Honduras, India and Canada. Among her many travel highlights, she loved her time in Paris with her Dad and two sisters.  She met many people on these journeys who became life long friends.

The heart of Terry was in what she did and how she impacted other lives.  As the eldest sister, she was the “story fairy” who insisted eyes be closed while she read or wove the stories that would send her two sisters into dreamland.  As a beloved aunt, she treasured her time with her nieces and nephews on whom she also bestowed her love of literature and books.  She sent them books when she couldn’t come in person.  She loved to read but didn’t need a book to tell a story.  

Terry was artistic and devoted more of her retirement life to her crafts and the communities she found with those activities.  Basket making, knitting, sewing and her art were the social groups that filled her life.  When she couldn’t meet with her art group in person, she used the time at home during Covid to take online painting classes from artists around the world.  She painted the flowers that came from friends up to the last week of her life.  She could always find the beauty in things and that was reflected in her beautiful life.  

She is survived by her siblings Sarah Cook-Burton (Orson), Martha Keaveny (Michael), Bill Cook (Tish) and Roger Cook (Joan); her many nieces and nephews- Adam Cook, Caleb Cook, Betsy Cook Proctor (Rob), Chad Cook (Katie), Emily Cook (Oliver), Bryan Gertonson (Alison), Trevor Gertonson (Hannah), Nathan Keaveny, Jeremy Keaveny (Megan), Patrick Keaveny  (Rayna) and Ryan Keaveny; and her great nieces and nephews- Cameron Gertonson, Clayton Gertonson, Claire Gertonson, Conor Keaveny, Maeve Keaveny and Welles Proctor.  She is preceded in death by her parents, Bob and Betty Cook.  

Peace be with you Terry, until we meet again on the other side…Godspeed beautiful sister.

Memorials to Autism Society of Minnesota: https://ausm.org/donate/