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13 Facts About Ivy Cooke

1.

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.

2.

Ivy Cooke was known as Lady Cooke after her husband's knighthood.

3.

Ivy Cooke attended the Warsop All-Age School in Trelawny, and then went on to the Bethlehem Teacher Training College.

4.

Ivy Cooke taught for periods at Montego Bay High School for Girls, Montego Bay Boys' School, and Bell Castle All-Age School.

5.

Ivy Cooke later worked for the Ministry of Education as a supervisor of teacher colleges and an early childhood education officer.

6.

In 1991, Ivy Cooke's husband was appointed Governor-General; he had previously been a People's National Party politician.

7.

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.

8.

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.

9.

Ivy Cooke was 89 years when her husband left office, and he was 90.

10.

Sir Howard Ivy Cooke died in July 2014, aged 98, mere days before the couple's 75th wedding anniversary.

11.

Lady Ivy Cooke died in June 2017,22 days before what would have been her 101st birthday.

12.

Ivy Cooke was given a state funeral, and interred at the National Heroes Park in Kingston.

13.

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.