Thomas Cooke

Thomas Patterson Cooke died at 12:20 p.m. on October 17, 2022, at the Northwest Medical Center in Tucson, Arizona. He was 88. The cause of death was organ failure. He was a theatre artist and educator. His artistic work included educational, community and professional theatre. Tom was born and raised in Marvell, Arkansas. He was the son of William Samuel Cooke and Naomi Patterson Cooke. He is survived by his wife of 66 years, Martha Nichols Cooke of Tucson, his son, William Thomas Cooke of Ashville, NC, and his daughter, Stacey Dianne Cooke of Scottsdale, AZ. Tom is also survived by his siblings, W.S. ("Sam") Cooke, Jr. of Wilmington, NC, John R. ("Jack") Cooke, also of Wilmington, and Richard F. Cooke of Chandler, AZ, his sister, Marilyn Kay Cooke Farsarakis of Heraklion, Crete, in Greece, and numerous nephews and nieces. Tom graduated from Marvell High School in 1951 and realized from an early age that he wanted to be a part of the theater world—acting, directing, and producing. He went on to attend Arkansas State University, where he earned a BA degree and met his future wife, Martha Nichols of Blytheville, AR. After marriage, Tom served two years of active duty in the U.S. Army Signal Corps at Fort Huachuca, AZ. Tom and Martha fell in love with the American Southwest and decided that one day they would probably retire in nearby Tucson—which they did many years later. Tom's education in Theatre Arts continued, taking him to Yale University (MFA, 1957-1960) and Florida State University (PhD, 1969-1971). His professional career included appointments at Kenyon College (Acting Chair of Theatre, 1983-1987), The University of Tennessee (Professor, 1961-1983; Head of the Theatre Department and Artistic Director of Clarence Brown Theatre, 1987-1999), The University of South Carolina (Chair of Theatre, 1983-1987) and University of Nevada Las Vegas (Chair of Theatre, 1999-2003). At California State University Long Beach and Cal Rep, he was Guest Director and Member of the Board (2004-2012). As a theatre educator, Tom worked to give his students great respect for the Liberal Arts tradition and experience with a great variety of forms and freedom to expand the boundaries of their art. While at USC, he led the development of a partnership with the Shakespeare Theatre at the Folger, Washington, D.C., which gave his students unique opportunities in classical theatre. His efforts to improve theatre training in university programs led him to a distinguished career in international theatre education. He established an International Theatre Research Center at the University of Tennessee and worked with the International Theatre Institute (a division of UNESCO) for many years developing artistic exchange and partnerships with individual artists, theatre companies and theatre academies in Russia, Poland, Hungary, Germany, Romania, South Africa, Ireland, Scotland and South Korea. He held the office of Vice-President of the worldwide training committee of the ITI, UNESCO. Tom once said that the pinnacle of his career was when he produced a play at the ancient—and beautiful—amphitheater at Delphi, situated on the slopes of Mount Parnassus and overlooking the Gulf of Corinth in northern Greece. Tom described this experience as probably the most awesome and inspiring episode of his life.  Tom wanted us to know he was always grateful to those who taught him life's lessons—directly or indirectly. He considered all those people to be a part of himself. He was perhaps too modest when reflecting upon the influence he had on others. As a father, husband, brother, teacher and director, the impact he had on those he touched was profound.    A service for family members will be held Tuesday, October 25, at Southern Arizona Veterans Memorial Cemetery, Sierra Vista, AZ.