Who was Ann Turner Cook? Original Gerber baby passes away at 95 

The original Gerber baby, Ann Turner Cook, passed away at the age of 95 on June 3, 2022. The American company shared a tribute to Cook by posting a picture of her on Instagram and said that it was "deeply saddened" by the loss and offered condolences to her family.

The post said:

"'Many years before becoming an extraordinary mother, teacher and writer, her smile and expressive curiosity captured hearts everywhere and will continue to live on as a symbol for all babies."

Cook's face has adorned the brand's packaging for over 90 years after her sketch was sent to the company by a neighbor, Dorothy Hope Smith.

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Who was Ann Turner Cook?

Ann Turner Cook is an American author famous for being the face of the Gerber Products Company. But many do not know that Cook is also a celebrated mystery novelist famous for her Brandy O'Bannon series of mystery novels.

She was born on November 20, 1926, to cartoonist Leslie Turner. Turner drew a popular comic strip called Captain Easy. They lived in Westport, Connecticut, at the time.

Ann Turner Cook was only five months old when Gerber announced that it was looking for baby images for its upcoming line of baby products. Cook's neighbor and artist Dorothy Hope Smith created a charcoal sketch that now adorns Gerber products.

The family later moved to Florida, where Cook attended junior high and high school in Orlando. She joined the University of South Florida to graduate. The author studied education and English journalism at University. She later gained a master's degree in English Education.

After completing her studies, Cook started working as an elementary school teacher. She worked at several elementary schools in Tampa, like Oak Hill and Madison Junior High School.

In 1966, she joined the English department of Tampa's Hillsborough High School, where she taught literature and creative writing.

After retiring, Cook delved into writing and published a number of novels, including Trace Their Shadows (2001), Shadow over Cedar Key (2003), Homosassa Shadows (2005), and Micanopy in Shadow (2008).

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The story behind Cook's iconic sketch

In 1928, Gerber decided to swap the "ABC" logo with a child's picture for its baby product line. It held an advertising campaign asking customers to send baby pictures.

Smith sketched infant Ann Turner Cook with charcoal and sent it to the company, notifying them that she would make it into an oil painting if she were to win. However, Gerber ended up liking the sketch so much that they decided to keep it.

They started using the sketch on their packaging but trademarked it in 1991. They later copyrighted the sketch in 1993.

The original sketch is currently framed and kept at the company's Fremont, Michigan headquarters. The brand also kept Cook's identity a secret for 40 years before revealing it in 1978.

In a 2003 interview, Cook shared her feelings about being the Gerber's baby. She said:

"I was probably about 3 years old when mother pointed at a baby food jar and said that was my picture. I thought it was quite a lovely thing."

She also added:

"I can't think of anything nicer than becoming a symbol for babies, and I think that's what I became."

The company also compensated Cook with enough money to buy a modest house and car.