Born in Modesto, California, to Thomasine Casalegno Mondo and Mario Mondo, Clarice Cooks spent her early years in Ripon, California.  Clarice played the clarinet with the Ripon High School Band and the Modesto Junior College Band, which she loved.  She graduated from San Jose State University where she studied Library Sciences.  After graduation, she went to work for the San Mateo Public Library, working there for more than 40 years.  During her career she spent many years as a reference librarian and in addition, established a circulating record collection to encourage others to learn about, and enjoy music. 
   On June 21, 1962, she married Oswald Theodore (Ted) Cooks, Jr. During their 30 years of marriage, Ted and Clarice traveled widely, enjoying musical events and hosting and attending frequent family gatherings. Ted passed away in 1992.  Clarice’s other favorite activities included annual trips to Yachats, OR, for the Four Seasons Arts concert series and playing Trivial Pursuit with young family members who never failed to be impressed by her wealth of knowledge on so many topics.
   She is survived by Ted’s children: Richard Cooks, Susan Gott (Cooks) and Kathy Mullin (Cooks); and her close cousin, Thomas Shephard, Sr. and his children: Katherine Weiner (Shephard), Thomas Shephard, Jr., Clarice Shephard and Marjorie Hart (Shephard); along with many other loving family members.   Visitation service begins at 6:30 p.m. followed by a rosary at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, May 4, at Sneider & Sullivan & O’Connell’s Funeral Home, 977 S. El Camino Real, San Mateo, CA.
   Funeral mass will be celebrated at10 a.m on Friday, May5, at St. Gregory Catholic Church, 28th & Hacienda St., San Mateo, CA. Interment to follow at Holy Cross Cemetery, 1500 Mission Rd., Colma, CA.
   In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to the San Mateo Public Library Foundation, smlibraryfoundation.org or 55 W. Third Avenue, San Mateo, CA. 94402.

Ripon
Manteca (Calif.) Bulletin
Monday, May 1, 2017