Katherine Cooke Perkins
Feb. 12, 1917 - Sept. 21, 2013
Katherine Cooke Perkins, 96, of Huntsville, AL and Nashville, TN passed away on September 21, 2013. A memorial service will be held at Twickenham Church of Christ, Huntsville, on Tuesday, September 24 at noon with Lincoln Smith officiating. Visitation and reception will immediately follow the service at The Ledges. Burial will be at the Barton Cemetery.
Survivors include her daughter and son-in-law, Sherrill Perkins Bandlow and Joseph Leland (Lee) Bandlow, Jr. of Nashville, TN; grandson, Joseph Leland Bandlow III of Atlanta, GA; and granddaughter, Katherine (Kiki) Sherrill Bandlow of Charlottesville, VA.
Katherine was born on February 12, 1917 to Susie Gibbs Cooke and John Henry Cooke in Barton, Alabama. After graduating from Cherokee High School and Athens College, she followed her childhood dream of teaching. She taught math and English for 35 years at various schools in Alabama, including Huntsville High School, Huntsville Junior High School, Cherokee High School, Colbert County High School, and Muscle Shoals High School. Her only break from teaching occurred during World War II when she worked for the Office of Scientific Research and Development in Washington, D.C.
In Huntsville she was a member of Twickenham Church of Christ, Delta Kappa Gamma teachers' sorority, Twickenham Study Club, Historic Huntsville Foundation, and Tennessee Valley Genealogical Society. She was a founding board member of the Barton Cemetery Fund established to preserve and maintain the historic pre-Civil War cemetery located in the town of her birth. In 2007 she moved to Nashville to be near her family.
In lieu of flowers, please consider memorial donations to the Barton Cemetery Fund, P.O. Box 506, Cherokee, AL 35616, or a charity of your choice .
Although we were not related she lived down the street from my parents. I used to see her quite regularly. RIP Mrs. Perkins - Hank Perkins
Loved Mrs. Perkins! - Linda Drummond
One of my favorites! - Carol Houke
She was such a kindhearted lady and she truly cared about us... individually and as a class. I don't think I appreciated at the time what a role model she really was - Pat Swearingen
I never had her but I talked to her at our 30 yr reunion. She said that our reunions were the only ones she ever attended. It seems that our class was truly special to her. She was 89 and it was truly an effort for her to be there - Stephen Hamm
I remember I had her for a class and we all were invited to her house for dinner or pick up food. I will always remember that and have always wanted to simulate that for the students I work with. Maybe this is my cue to do that! RIP Mrs. Perkins - Amelia Uffelman
I was in her Southern Lit class and loved going to her house. Georgian. The furniture and the drapes were so beautiful. I loved Mrs. Perkins...she was a true southern lady - Lisa Grumbles
Many fond memories of her. She was a great lady. - Sandra Adams
Sweet lady! Enjoyed her so at reunions. - Sally Peeler
She was so kind to me - Debi Dyess