Marty Cool

A much-loved husband, father, grandfather, brother, uncle, and friend, Marty Cool, 77, of North Royalton OH, went home to be with his Lord on July 4, 2025, after a stay at the Thomas P. Perciak Family Residential Hospice in Strongsville, OH. He bravely confronted and fought lymphoma and vascular dementia.

Marty was born on November 3, 1947, in Buckhannon, West Virginia. He graduated from Valley Forge High School in Parma Heights, received a Bachelor of Music Education from Baldwin-Wallace College Conservatory of Music, and earned a Master of Education with a Superintendent’s Certificate from Kent State University.

He was an instrumental music teacher in the Kenmore-Town of Tonawanda Union Free School District (NY) and the Berea City School District (OH). Marty was a Unit Coordinator at the former Roehm Junior High School in Berea and ultimately, an Instructional Consultant in Curriculum with the Berea Board of Education. He retired in 2005 after 35 years as an educator, subsequently working with the First Ring Superintendents’ Collaborative in Cleveland and surrounding suburbs. In his retirement, Marty continued to enjoy woodworking, traveling, cycling throughout the Metroparks, and spending time with family and friends. A highly skilled trumpet player and private teacher, Marty often played with the Ohio Chamber Orchestra for Cleveland Opera and Cleveland Ballet performances, and was a frequent soloist at numerous venues.

Paul Thoms, former OMEA President said, “Marty Cool was an exceptional music educator, as well as being a devoted professional who served OMEA in governmental relations and as State Secretary.

Although I always appreciated his professionalism, I especially enjoyed his sense of humor that kept potentially thorny issues in perspective and allowed those of us who worked with him to put things in perspective. He set the bar very high!”

Cool served on the OMEA Governmental Relations Committee (chair - 82-83) and State Secretary (1985-87). He was active on OMEA’s Council of Supervisors.

Marty is survived by his wife of almost 56 years, Jayne Southwick Cool; daughter Cathleen Ewing (Micah); son Jonathan (Jennifer); grandchildren, Jonah, Elaine, and Clara Ewing and Elizabeth and Joshua Cool; sister Martha Brand (Kenneth); brother Marshall (Christine); nephews, Nathan Cool (Elsbeth) and Ken Brand (Beth), and nieces, Kelly Greene (Rich) and Caroline Burns (David). He was preceded in death by his parents, Henry and Lenora Cool.