Kathryn "Kathy" Caldwell Cockroft's Obituary
On Sunday, October 2nd, 2022, Kathryn Caldwell Cockroft (Kathy), loving mother and wife, passed away at the age of 78. Kathy was born on September 13th, 1944, in Shelby, Mississippi, to Ben and Margaret Caldwell. She was a Church of Christ member and loved playing sports, especially basketball, which she would go on to later coach. She was the salutatorian of Marks High School and graduated from the University of Mississippi after only three years with a major in both mathematics and history. While in college, she served as an officer for Kappa Delta sorority and an ROTC sponsor. Following graduation, she worked in computer programing at Union Planters and First Tennessee. Later, she became a math teacher at both the collegiate and high school levels.
In 1968, Kathy married Dr. Robert Cockroft (Bob), and they moved to Italy, where Bob served in the Air Force. Upon returning, they began to grow their family by adopting their eldest daughter, Cile, who suffered from cerebral palsy. Inspired by Cile, she became very involved with Les Passees charity and spent time helping other children with similar limitations. As her children entered school, she spent time as a member of the Germantown Garden Club and the Briarcrest school board. She loved music and teaching aerobics and is surely dancing in heaven now. Later in life, she traveled the world and would tell her granddaughters of her adventures.
She is survived by her husband of 54 years, Bob Cockroft, her three daughters, Cile Cockroft, Katie Kalsi, and Lea Gilliland (Chuck), and six granddaughters- Sophie and Sadie Kalsi and Celia, Mary Caroline, Maggie, and Charlie Gilliland, her sister Pam Easterling, and many nieces and nephews. A funeral will be held at Memorial Park funeral home at 5668 Poplar Avenue in Memphis, TN, at 3 pm on Friday, Oct. 7th, with visitation at 2 pm. In lieu of flowers, please consider donations to the Madonna Learning Center or JDRF.
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