Robert Easton Cooke

ROBERT EASTON COOKE

May 25, 1948 – December 15, 2022

Robert Easton Cooke passed away December 15, peacefully in a beautiful hospice setting after

a long illness.

Bob was born in East Stroudsburg on May 25, 1948 to Ruth Lee Cooke and William F. Cooke, Sr.

He is survived by his brother and sister-in-law, William F. Cooke, Jr. and Judith Wynn Cooke, of

Elverson, PA and his sister Kathy Sue Cooke Schoonover of Highland, NY.

His nephews and nieces lovingly referred to Bob as “UB.” Robert Scott Schoonover and

Gretchen Hohmann Schoonover; Jody Sue Schoonover Harris and Peter V. Harris, all residing in

Highland, NY, along with their daughters. “GUB” treasured his grandnieces: Brooke Arden

Harris, Elizabeth Kate Harris, Genevieve Michelle Schoonover, Lorelei Tasie Schoonover and

Adelaine Mae Schoonover.

Bob, along with his brother Bill, was an ardent family historian who enjoyed what he discovered

along the way. Always proud of his East Stroudsburg and Monroe County roots and friends.

With his friend and business partner, Robert Johnson, Bob was able to continue a lifetime

enjoyment of cars, owning JMC Auto and Rent-a-Wreck in Hacketstown, NJ.

Ever curious, Bob traveled the world with his long-time friend John Jacobi, aways adventuring.

As a graduate of East Stroudsburg High School, Class of 1966, he was a member of the National

Honor Society, Choraliers, Senior Marching Band, Senior Concert Band, Dance Band, District and

Regional Bands, and All-State Band (1966). He received the Barbara Fatzinger Memorial Award

as the outstanding band member in 1966.

Bob graduated from East Stroudsburg State College in 1970, later taking graduate work at ESU,

Moravian College and Lehigh University. He spent 32 years within the East Stroudsburg Area

School District as a classroom teacher, additionally serving 3 years as a math coach and 4 years

as a math department chair, after having even served as a student teacher within the ESASD at

Middle Smithfield Elementary School in 1970.

In 1974, Bob worked with a team of 6 teachers to plan, implement, and operate North

Courtland Elementary School (formerly “OASIS”, Open Access School In Service), a highly

successful open-concept 6th grade school which operated until 1992. This school was also the

origination for the teaming concept, now used extensively in ESASD intermediate schools, J.T.

Lambert and Lehman. In 1992, he moved to the J.T. Lambert Intermediate School to teach 6th

grade mathematics. In 1994, he advocated for the inclusion of a Student Assistance Program, a

program to identify and to refer at-risk students. He served on the 6th grade SAP program until

2002, serving as its first chairperson.

Bob left the classroom in 2002 to become the first Intermediate School Math Coach, a program

whose purpose was to assist teachers and students in the teaching and learning of mathematics

at the John T. Lambert and the Lehman Intermediate schools. He retired in 2005, but returned

to the ESASD to chair the Lehman Intermediate School Mathematics Department from 2004 to

2008.

Bob was a Life Member of the East Stroudsburg Education Association, Pennsylvania State

Education Association, and National Education Association, Bob served three terms as ESEA

president, on four contract negotiation teams, and has been the President of the Pocono

Chapter of PSEA-Retired since 2006. He was elected to serve on the East Stroudsburg Area

School District Board of Education in 2010 (re-elected in 2014), serving as Board Vice President

since 2012, in addition to serving as President of the Monroe Career and Technical Institute

Joint Operating Committee (2012-2013). In 2016, he was inducted to the ESSA Meritorious Hall

of Fame.

The funeral viewing will be December 27 from 4 to 6 pm and funeral service, officiated by

Pastor Margie Good, on December 28 at 11 am from the Bensing-Thomas Funeral Home at 410

N 5th Street, Stroudsburg, PA.

Donations in the memory of Bob Cooke can be made out to The Mary Moran Scholarship Fund,

c/o William Wagner, 171 Wyoming Ave, Wyoming, PA 18644, AWSOM Animal Shelter, 3129

Godfrey Ridge Drive, Stroudsburg, PA 18360 or the Monroe County Historical Association

Heritage Center, 900 Main Street, Stroudsburg, PA, 18360.