Catherine Cooke Lux
Oct 11, 1950 - Mar 22, 2021
Catherine (“Cate” or “Cathy”) Cooke Lux of Philadelphia, PA died peacefully on Monday morning, March 22.
Born October 11, 1951 in Orange, NJ, Cate was the beloved wife of the late Paul Stephen Lux. She is survived by her children, Annie Radecki (Ryan), Sarah McCabe (Tom), and Timothy Lux (Molly); grandchildren, Thomas and Henry McCabe, Alex and Lydia Radecki, and Marsden Lux; and two siblings, Allison Cooke Brown and Edward Strong Cooke.
She attended Indian Mountain School, Kent School, and graduated from Skidmore College in 1974 with a degree in Elementary Education. She received a Masters’ in Early Childhood Education from Southern Connecticut State University in 1978.
Educating was her passion. She taught at the Children’s School in Colorado Spring, CO, Moses Brown School in Providence, RI, and St. Margaret’s-McTernan School in Waterbury, CT. She enjoyed a 20-year career teaching 5th grade at Oxford Center School in Oxford, CT before retiring in 2014.
Her family lived in Newtown, CT for 36 years, where Cate immersed herself in community service. She was a founding VP for Youth Services, the Sandy Hook Elementary PTA president, and a Cyrenius Booth Library Director. She also led a girl scout troop, raised money for the Fun
Space Playground, and worked with Save Our Schools.
After her retirement, she moved near her children and grandchildren in Philadelphia, living in a high-rise apartment and enjoying Philly’s restaurants, museums, and clubs. Unable to stray far from teaching, she co-led an afternoon STEAM program and started book clubs.
Cate was known for welcoming everyone as a part of her family. Her children’s swimming and rowing teammates will especially miss her cookies, zucchini bread, and lasagna. She brought joy to and found humor in every occasion and will be missed by the many friends she collected over the years.
A memorial service will be held in June in Connecticut. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Philabundance, an organization working to alleviate hunger and food insecurity.