Ivy Sylvia Lucille Cooke, Lady Cooke was a Jamaican educator who was best known as the wife of Sir Howard Cooke, the Governor-General of Jamaica from 1991 to 2006.
13 Facts About Ivy Cooke
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Ivy Cooke was known as Lady Cooke after her husband's knighthood.
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Ivy Cooke attended the Warsop All-Age School in Trelawny, and then went on to the Bethlehem Teacher Training College.
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Ivy Cooke taught for periods at Montego Bay High School for Girls, Montego Bay Boys' School, and Bell Castle All-Age School.
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Ivy Cooke later worked for the Ministry of Education as a supervisor of teacher colleges and an early childhood education officer.
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In 1991, Ivy Cooke's husband was appointed Governor-General; he had previously been a People's National Party politician.
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Ivy Cooke supervised the running of King's House during his 15-year tenure, and cultivated vegetable gardens on the grounds as well as raising goats, rabbits, cattle, and chickens.
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Ivy Cooke had a particular interest in music, serving as patron of the Jamaica Independence Festival and starting the tradition of annual Christmas concerts at King's House.
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Ivy Cooke was 89 years when her husband left office, and he was 90.
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Sir Howard Ivy Cooke died in July 2014, aged 98, mere days before the couple's 75th wedding anniversary.
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Lady Ivy Cooke died in June 2017,22 days before what would have been her 101st birthday.
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Ivy Cooke was given a state funeral, and interred at the National Heroes Park in Kingston.
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Ivy Cooke's death was noted in the Parliament of Jamaica, with both Prime Minister Andrew Holness and Leader of the Opposition Peter Phillips making condolence statements.