Cooke, Giles B., 1897-1974

Dr. Giles B. Cooke was an organic chemist and known as a world authority on cork trees and cord production. He was born 7 Sep 1897 in Gloucester County, Virginia, USA. Cooke graduated from the College of William and Mary in 1923 and received his M.S. and Ph. D. from the University of Maryland in organic chemistry. After serving as a high school principal in several Virginia communities, he became a research chemist with the Armstrong Cork Company, in Lancaster, Pa., and then served as director of research for the Crown Cork and Seal Company, of Baltimore, from 1934 to 1959. Holder of 21 patents in food and beverage packaging, Dr. Cooke persuaded the governors of 10 states to plant cork trees on state capital grounds during World War II. From 1960-1967, he served as chairman of the division of science and mathematics at Essex Community College. Dr. Cooke was the author of "Cork and the Cork Tree" and contributed to the annual "Handbook of Chemistry and Physics" for 40 years. He was a member of Phi Kappa Phi and Sigma Xi, as well as of Trinity Episcopal Church.
He was married to Anna Dorsey, with whom he had one daughter, Anna Dorsey Cooke Allison. Cooke died 13 Oct 1974 (aged 77), Towson, Baltimore County, Maryland, USA.