Mrs. Vanderkooi received her B.S in Art from (TSCW), taught in small West Texas town for several years before returning to graduate school at New York School of Ceramics.  As the demand foroccupational therapy increased Mrs. Vanderkooi entered the field as a reconstruction aide receiving her professional training at Johns Hopkins Hospital.  She worked as a staff therapists at Henry Phipps Clinic of John Hopkins Hospital and later went on to become a supervising therapist at Walter Reed Hospital following World War I.  

She married David Vanderkooi in 1924 and retired from active field of occupational therapy to raise three children.  Upon the death of her husband, she established a book binding shop, taught classes in her home and was a craft teacher  to maintain her family.  Committed to life long learning and competency, Fanny Vanderkooi enrolled at University of Southern California and received her Master’s Degree of Fine Arts in 1940.

Following her graduate work she worked at Stockton State Hospital in California. Her urge to return to Texas, where she was raised, led her back to her alma mater TSCW where she was offered a position as the first program director of occupational therapy.  To prepare for the position she took refresher courses at Philadelphia School of Occupational Therapy and visited schools throughout the country for advice and mentorship. She maintained her clinical expertise while serving at program chairperson by working summers in clinical centers throughout the country.

“ Mrs. Vanderkooi’s consuming interests in the field of occupational therapy in only surpassed by her pride in her greatest accomplishment that of raising of her children. Her many interests all centered around the need for integration of team work whether it be a camping trip, family concert a classroom project in marionettes or rehabilitation” (AJOT, 1953, pg 76).

The role model Mrs. Vanderkooi provided over the course of her life, in balancing multiple occupations on a personal and professional level is as relevant today as it was more than 60 years ago. Her legacy lives on today at Texas Woman’s University with the establishment of the Fanny B. Vanderkooi Endowed Lectureship. Through the leadership of Virginia Chandler Dykes ( a former student of Mrs. Vanderkooi)  and her husband Roland in collaboration  with Dr. Grace Gilkenson, her husband George and School of Occupation Therapy professional master graduate Bonnie Strauss and her husband John endowed lectureship established in 1994 has grown to be one of the premier continuing education offerings in Texas.