Elisabeth Hooker

Brewster, Mass. - Elisabeth Hooker, beloved aunt, friend and teacher, passed away on Wednesday, April 25, 2012, in Brewster, Mass., only a month after her 98th birthday.

She was born in New York City to Brian and Doris (Cooper) Hooker. Her father, a poet, playwright and lyricist traveled extensively so she chose to spend most of her growing up years with her sisters, Aunt and grandparents in Farmington. It was in Farmington that Elisabeth first developed her lifelong love of "all creatures great and small." She graduated from Kingswood School in West Hartford, and went on to graduate from Smith College where she made many lifelong friends. She began her career at Miss Duffy School, teaching Latin, French and English. Following in her father's footsteps, she was a gifted linguist.

Elisabeth, her sister, Belinda and her Aunt, Joan Hooker spent many joyful summer vacations on Corn Hill beach in Truro. Eventually, they purchased their own little piece of paradise in a small valley where soft breezes always blow. There they surrounded themselves with all that they loved, nature's bounty, solitude, books, and precious kitties. Each cat, often rescued from the wild, had a name suited to its personality. Our favorite was South Paw who loved nothing better than a good fight, and whose battered ears were a testament to this.

One of Elisabeth's primary joys was teaching the young of Cape Cod, first in Wellfleet and later at Nauset Regional High School. During her first years teaching on the Cape, she rode to school on a bicycle-regardless of the weather. If she was lucky, the milkman would drive her to school as he made early morning deliveries. Elisabeth reluctantly retired from education, but continued to remember and respect her colleagues and students. She was a consummate teacher. There may still be generations of Cape Cod residents who "swear" at errant drivers by calling them "yellow bellied sap suckers" in the way Miss Hooker had taught their grandparents so many years before using Mr. Audubon's "Field Guide to Birds" for inspiration.

All who knew Elisabeth remember: peanut butter sandwiches for raccoons, homemade furniture that she created out of scraps, apple trees, canned vegetables, flourishing gardens, home-baked bread, her first car - Mr. Toad, "afters" (instead of dessert), jokes made in Latin and Greek that few understood, sparkling blue eyes and braids wound around her head, a black snake that she dangled out the car window as she transported it to the dump, blueberry pancakes made from her own wild blueberries, listening to Red Sox games on WOMR, her never-ending care for her sister Belinda. One of her favorite visitors was her younger sister, Pamela Hooker Thomas, with whom she chatted of shared childhood memories and the next generations of her Connecticut family.

If you were blessed enough to meet "Miss Hooker", you easily recognized her innate joy and peaceful spirit. She was quiet, gentle and able to be still for such long periods of time that small wild creatures felt safe nearby. She enjoyed small pleasures-holding a warm cup of tea in her hands on a cold day-and taught her family to enjoy such moments. Elisabeth had friends in far flung places although she never journeyed far from home. They regularly corresponded with her, undoubtedly to take the serenity and peace of Cape Cod-and Elisabeth- with them throughout the years. God was an integral part of Elisabeth's life and she lived as though He always walked beside her. She was a self taught biblical scholar and shared her belief with the congregation of St. Mary of the Harbor in Provincetown.

Her family wants to extend special thanks to Pleasant Bay Nursing Home where she was lovingly cared for for many years, to the congregation and rector of St. Mary's, and to her loyal friend Joyce Harding.

Elisabeth was predeceased by her parents, her Aunt Joan and her sisters, Belinda Hooker and Pamela Hooker Thomas.

She is survived by her nephew, Philip Hooker Sands (wife, Sharon); by her niece, Sarah Rose (husband, Ronald); by great nieces and nephew, Rebecca Bocian, Elisabeth Rose, William Rose, Jane Rose and Donna Coulombe; and many great- great nieces and nephews.

All will remember her each time they visit her cottage and read the Cape Cod newspaper article about her "gentle spirit" framed safely and placed on the door.

Please come and share special stories and remembrances of Elisabeth at 11 a.m., June 9, 2012. at St. Mary of the Harbor, Provincetown. Nickerson Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to St. Mary of the Harbor, 517 Commercial St., Provincetown, MA 02657 or to Sustainable CAPE, 1004, Truro, MA 02666.

For online condolences please visit us www.nickersonfunerals.com