Barbara Anne Cook

An accomplished university administrator, educator, and lawyer, Barbara tirelessly and compassionately mentored, supported, and inspired those around her.

Barbara was born in Chicago, Illinois to Frank and Anna Karg. She earned her Ph.D. in Education from the University of Chicago and her J.D. degree from the UIC John Marshall Law School. Barbara held positions of Registrar, Acting Vice President of Student Affairs, and had rank in the Department of Educational Foundations at Northeastern Illinois University.

She was also proud to serve as Executive Director of the Lane Tech Alumni Association where her service established a scholarship program that became an early hallmark of the Association. In honor of 20 years of dedicated service and her positive impact on the lives of students at Lane Tech and their academic success, the Alumni Association established the annual Barbara A. Cook Scholarship Award prior to her retirement at age 82.

She is survived by her three children: David F. Cook, Robert G. Cook III (Kathy), and Matthew S. Cook (Roberta); grandchildren Samantha Szydlo (Michael), Alex Cook, Matthew Cook, Jr., Maggie Paulson-Cook (Jerry), and Alex Fuery (Sahara); great-grandchildren Hendrix Paulson, Mason Szydlo, and Jackson Szydlo.

We are forever grateful for our family and friends for making Barbara’s life so beautiful and full. In our hearts and minds, her memory will always be kept as the one who brought us all together and lifted our spirits with her love and devotion.

Visitation and interment will be private. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in her memory to Shriners Hospitals for Children, www.shrinerschildrens.org.

For information, contact Drake & Son Funeral Home, 773-561-6874 or www.DrakeandSonFuneralHome.com.