Camille Legeay Cook, 95, a retired Nurse Consultant died February 17, 2021, at her home in the Southwest neighborhood of Washington, DC. She was born June 27, 1925 in Paducah, KY. She joined the Cadet Nurse Corps, graduated from Vanderbilt University School of Nursing and later earned a Master’s degree from UC School of Nursing in San Francisco. She began her career as a staff nurse in the Veterans Hospital in Nashville and the Visiting Nurse Association in Richmond, VA. She joined the Foreign Service as the first nurse in the American Embassy Tokyo in 1952. After serving on the faculty at the School of Nursing in San Francisco, Camille joined the clinical team at the Children’s Hospital in Los Angeles which provided care for children. She was then recruited as a nurse consultant to the federal program initiated by President Kennedy for children with developmental disabilities. She worked in the development of the University Affiliated Programs in twenty medical centers and with state health officials in their programs for the care of special needs children.
Camille married Donald Cook, Cultural Affairs Officer for the US Dept. of State, in 1968 and accompanied him on many official trips until her husband’s death in 1973. She continued to work in the federal maternal and child health program until her retirement in 1985. She was an avid community gardener, bridge player, world traveler, and was a member of the Women’s National Democratic Club. She will be remembered for her excellent cooking and hosting of congenial gatherings at her home.
Camille is survived by her brother, Paul Legeay, stepdaughters Deborah (Tim) Miller and Linda Cook, grandchildren Christopher Miller, Jonathan Miller and Shannon Warto, great-grandchildren Gridley Miller and Golden Miller, nieces, nephews and many, many friends. She is preceded in death by her husband, Donald Cook, her parents Paul and Teresa Legeay and sisters, Constance Glover, Rosemary Legeay, and Sr. Helen Legeay. A private gathering will take place for her interment at a future date in Arlington National Cemetery. A donation may be made to the Camille Legeay Cook Scholarship at Vanderbilt University, or in her memory, plant something in your garden.
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