Noreen Carolyn Woock , July 16, 1926 — July 31, 2018

Noreen Carolyn (Davies) Woock, age 92, ended her life’s journey on July 31, 2018, peacefully, surrounded by her loving family and many friends. She was born on July 16, 1926, in Chicago, Illinois, the only child of Carolyn (Webster) and Stanley Davies. She grew up in Wicker Park and graduated from Tuley High School in 1944.

She attended Wright Junior College and National Louis University earning a degree in education in 1948. In addition, she later attended Northwestern University… Read More » and earned a Master’s Degree in Education. She married George Clayton Woock in 1952.

She spent 10 months in Karlsthrue, Germany where George was stationed, and taught English to soldiers as they were stationed there. They returned to the United States and in 1961, they adopted a baby girl, Gwendolyn Joan, and then expanded their little family in 1963 when they adopted a baby boy, Gregory Steven. Noreen spent her entire career teaching and enriching the lives of children, teaching every elementary grade level.

She ended her 38-year-teaching-career as a special education teacher focusing on students with learning disabilities. Her philosophy about children and learning was founded in one of her favorite quotes by Henry David Thoreau, “If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer”. She believed every child could learn and experience success in their own way, and in their own time.

While she was working full time as a teacher, she also completed her Ed Specialist degree from Northern Illinois University in 1987. She had many talents and hobbies and was particularly skilled at water color paint and leather crafting. She liked to write stories and poetry and she was also an avid reader and founder of the Wise Owls Book Club.

Additionally, she was a member of St. Paul’s United Church of Christ in Downers Grove and participated in the Esther Circle group at the church. She is survived by her daughter, Gwendolyn (Woock) Box; her son Gregory (Lisa) Woock; her five grandchildren: Evan, Clayton and Sean Woock and Jonathan and Cameron Box; and one great-grandchild, Caden Woock. She was preceded in death by her parents, her former husband, and her dear cousins Lila Radtke, Chuck Uplegger, and Rita Uplegger.

She will be missed dearly by numerous family and friends. A celebration of life service will be held at 1 p.m on November 23 at St. Paul’s United Church of Christ, 5739 Dunham Road, Downers Grove, Illinois 60516.

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