Kathleen Marie Cooley

Kathleen Marie Cooley, passed peacefully Tuesday morning, March 28, 2023 in her home in Austin, Texas. She was 69 years old.
Kathleen was born in Fort Seal, Oklahoma on February 18, 1954, to parents Ralph and Dorothy Cooley of Austin, Texas. She was an identical twin with just being five minutes apart from her sister, Maureen Ellen Cooley.
In 1972 she graduated from Burges High School in El Paso, Texas, achieving honors. She then attended UTEP at El Paso, Texas, to study mathematics and physics as a teacher. She then attended University of Texas at Austin with a bachelor of science in education in 1976. She graduated with two masters of education in physics and mathematics in 1981 and 1991. In addition, she belonged to Kappa Delta, Phi, Beta, Sigma, and Pi Lambda Theta. She was awarded teacher of the year several times throughout her teaching career. She taught night and day sometimes. She was a high school teacher at Lanier, Crockett, Johnson, and LBJ High School. She was a trained psychologist. She also taught at the Pinnacle at ACC. She was a member of National Education Association, Austin Association of Teachers, Texas State Teacher Association, and Mathematics Teachers Association. She attended numerous professional workshops and training throughout her career. She taught at St. Edward's University for migrant students for ten summers. She sponsored Mu Alpha Theta, mathematics honor society, and class sponsorships from 9th to 12th grade. She was an instructional math coordinator in AISD. She was fluent in Espanol.
Kathleen's hobbies included music, sports, puzzles, drawing, reading books, and taking pictures. She had a stamp collection, a rock collection, and collected spoons from all around countries. She loved to travel. Some places she visited were Ireland, Wales, England, Scotland, Spain, Italy, Portugal, Africa, Switzerland, Germany, Mexico, India and Thailand, and not to forget many places around the United States. She loved animals very much, they were her peace. She loved her dogs Peluso, Coco, Candi, and Canelo. She loved football, her favorite teams were the Green Bay Packers and Dallas Cowboys.
She is survived by her twin sister and best friend, Maureen Ellen Cooley and Courtney Jean Ibarra Smith. Courtney is the angel that has been taking care of her since 2012, she was her caretaker and true friend. Courtney cared for Kathleen until she left us, and they were very close. Katie considered her as a family member since she was so dedicated to keeping Kathleen healthy and always in such good spirits, along with keeping her safe. Rodolfo Ibarra Sanchez and additional relatives, and her faithful companions, her dogs, along with all the friends she leaves behind.
Family and friends are welcome to join a celebration of Kathleen's life this Saturday, April 8th, 2023 at Cook Walden/Forest Oaks Funeral Home and Memorial Park located at 6300 West William Cannon Drive, Austin TX 78749 at 1:00pm. We will be having a slideshow along with the viewing and at 2:00pm the service will begin.
In lieu of flowers, a memorial contribution may be made in memory and honor of Kathleen Marie Cooley to the ASPCA or to a charity of the donors' choice.
Thank you for joining us on this special day that we lay Kathleen to rest. God bless everyone.