Term: Van Kooy, Cornelia 1885 - 1945

Definition: public health nurse, b. Utrecht, Netherlands. She was educated in private schools at Dordrecht, and in 1905 migrated with her parents to the U.S. Graduated from St. Joseph's Nursing School in Milwaukee (1909), two years later she became the first child welfare field nurse for the Milwaukee Health Department. In 1914 she joined the staff of the Wisconsin Anti-Tuberculosis Association as public health demonstration nurse, and during World War I served with the Red Cross in France. Returning to Wisconsin following the war, Miss Van Kooy worked with the Wisconsin state Board of Health for two years, helping to organize the Bureau of Public Health Nursing. Then, following five years of organizational and promotional work for the Wisconsin Anti-Tuberculosis Association, she returned to the state board of health in 1927 as supervisor of the Bureau of Public Health Nursing. She served in this capacity until her death, and was also a member of numerous nursing and public health organizations. In 1929 and 1930 she served on a committee of the White House Conference on Child Health and Protection. Milwaukee Journal, Sept. 8, 1945; Madison Capital Times, Sept. 8, 1945; Wis. State Board of Health, Bur. Public Health Nursing Archives.