KOOB, THEODORA J. Ph.D. Teacher, Writer, Professor Dr. Theodora J. Koob passed away on April 11, 2003 in Carlsbad California. She was a longtime resident of San Diego County, and an accomplished teacher, writer and Professor of English. Dr. Koob was born Theodora J. Foth in Jersey City, New Jersey daughter of George Frederick Foth and Theodora Katherine (Schmidt) Foth on September 16, 1913. She taught elementary, junior and senior high school in Carlstadt, New Jersey from 1935-1943. She earned a Bachelor of Science degree from New York University in 1941, and a Master of Arts degree from New York University in 1944. From 1943-45 she was a teacher at Long Island Junior and Senior High Schools. She married Robert A. Koob June 24, 1942. She earned a Ph.D. from New York University in 1946. In October 1946, she joined her husband on Okinawa and was founder and first principal of the American Dependent School in the Far East on Okinawa from 1946-1947. She raised four children with Col. Robert Koob (Retired), a career Army Officer: George Frederick, Joseph Edgar, Stephen Phillip and Katherine Rose and lived extensively throughout the United States and Europe including Angouleme, France from 1956-1960. During this period, Dr. Koob published the first of a series of children ' s books: Johann of the Trembling Hand, 1960. She followed with Surgeon ' s Apprentice, 1963; Benjy Brant, 1965; The Tacky Little Icicle Shack, 1966, The Green Goose, 1967; This Side of Victory, 1967; Hear a Different Drummer, 1968; and The Deep Search, 1969. She joined Shippensburg State (College) University in Shippensburg, Pennsylvania in 1964 and rose to the rank of full Professor where she taught English, linguistics, semantics, and literature. Dr. Koob was a prolific writer and has authored numerous literary works including poetry, plays and novels. Dr. Koob retired in 1980 and lived near her daughter Katherine Rose in Londonderry, New Hampshire from 1980-1988 and then near her son George Frederick in Encinitas, California from 1988-2003. During this period she continued her writing and taught piano to young children for 20 years. She is survived by her three sons, George Frederick Koob, a Professor at The Scripps Research Institute in La Jolla California; Joseph Edgar Koob, founder and CEO of difficultpeople.org and Stephen Phillip Koob, Conservator at the Corning Glass Museum in Corning New York. Katherine Rose Koob passed away in February 1997. She has five grandchildren: Cameron Koob (George Frederick Koob), Elise and Nathan Koob (Joseph Edgar Koob), and Julian and Jeremy Koob (Stephen Phillip Koob). In lieu of flowers the family has set up a memorial fund for the library at Shippensburg University in Shippensburg Pennsylvania (Shippensburg University Foundation-Theodora Koob Fund to SU Foundation, 1871 Old Main Drive, Shippensburg, PA 17257).
Published in the San Diego Union-Tribune on 4/24/2003.
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