Shirley Frances Crook

Shirley Crook was born on July 27, 1936, in Cleveland, Ohio. She was raised in Fort Scott, Kansas by her great-aunt Frances Hill and great-uncle John Hill, both of whom predeceased her. Shirley attended Northwestern University and Southern Methodist University as an undergraduate, receiving a B.A. in Speech/Drama from the latter. While raising her four daughters, she earned M.A. and Ph.D. degrees in English Literature from The University of Texas at Austin.

Shirley’s passion for education animated a long and varied career in teaching, curriculum development, educational staff development, and professional training. Her public-education teaching experience spanned all grade levels from kindergarten to graduate school. At UT Austin, Shirley taught English courses for several years and developed courses and materials for continuing education and outreach, including a review course for Texas’s TECAT teacher qualification test and the initial grant to establish a still-ongoing distance learning program for children of migrant workers. After leaving UT, Shirley had a long career as an educational consultant, guiding administrators, teachers and students through the oft-perilous waters of standardized testing. Though she wasn’t born in Texas, she visited more of its towns and school districts than many a native during those years, and her family still hears from educators across the state that Shirley was the reason they or their students passed one test or another.

Education shaped more than Shirley’s professional life. She was always ready to support the educational endeavors of her daughters and grandchildren, and volunteered countless hours helping friends and colleagues (or their family members) surmount testing-related hurdles. Later in life Shirley took great satisfaction in her volunteer work with the Assistance League of Austin’s Operation School Bell providing school clothing to students in need.

Shirley’s husband of over 53 years, John Herbert Crook, predeceased her in 2016. She was also predeceased by her parents Chester and Sandra Sanford. Shirley is survived by four daughters—Gentry Crook McLean (Jim), Kimberly Crook Stavinoha (Pete), Kelly Crook, and Sherry Crook Meyer (Scott)—and seven grandchildren: Elizabeth McLean (Alex Barrett), Joseph Stavinoha, Christopher McLean, Michael McLean, Kate Meyer, Ian Meyer, and Madeleine Meyer.

Private burial services will be followed by a Celebration of Life gathering to be held at a later date. For those desiring, the family recommends that donations in Shirley’s name be made to the Assistance League of Austin or a charity of choice.