Carol Mirsky

Carol "Cookie" Bayer Mirsky Cookie Mirsky passed away, surrounded by family, Friday, May 15, 2015, after a long battle with Parkinson's Disease. Cookie was born in Houston on July 8, 1939 to Bernard and Rebecca Bayer. She attended San Jacinto High School and was in the last graduating class of Jefferson Davis Nursing School. Cookie dedicated 35 years of her life to her career in nursing. She began her career providing care to the city's indigent and traumatically injured at Jefferson Davis Hospital on Allen Parkway, where she eventually became the nursing supervisor in the emergency room. While working at Jefferson Davis, she was featured as a principal character in the critically acclaimed book, The Hospital by Jan de Hartog. The book highlighted the deplorable conditions then in existence at Jeff Davis Hospital and ultimately led to the opening of the original Ben Taub Hospital. Cookie was instrumental in the relocation of emergency services from Jeff Davis to Ben Taub, where she continued her career as nursing supervisor in the emergency room. After leaving Ben Taub, Cookie worked at Methodist Hospital until the birth of her daughters, Dora and Sharon. While raising her family, she also worked in her family business, Beckman Office Supply and Printing Company from 1972 to 1987. She loved to travel, and during this time, she was fortunate to be able to travel the world. She eventually returned to nursing and resumed her career at Methodist Hospital. She retired from Methodist in 2011. Cookie was a 20 year ovarian cancer survivor. She is survived by her daughter and son in law, Dora Klaff and Matthew Okin, daughter, Sharon Carollo, adoring grandchildren, Rebecca Klaff, Max Carollo, and Sam Carollo, sister, Marlene Cohen, sister and brother in law, Harriet and Taghi Hajizade, brother and sister in law, Michael and Terri Bayer, and numerous nieces and nephews. The family is extremely grateful to her caregiver, Jeanette Stirgus, for her exceptional care and compassion towards Cookie for the past 3 years. Her life will continue to be celebrated by her family and friends. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Houston Area Parkinson Society, the Jewish Federation of Greater Houston or a charity of your choice.

Carol Mirsky

July 8, 1939 - May 15, 2015