Original Gerber Baby Ann Turner Cook Dies At 95 In St. Petersburg

ST. PETERSBURG, FL — The original Gerber baby, Ann Turner Cook, recently died at her St. Petersburg home.

Gerber posted about her death on Instagram Friday about her death.

"Gerber is deeply saddened by the passing of Ann Turner Cook, the original Gerber baby, whose face was sketched to become the iconic Gerber logo more than 90 years ago," the post said.

The date of her death was not mentioned in the post. She was 95.

Cook was 5 months old when a neighbor, artist Dorothy Hope Smith, drew a charcoal sketch of her that was later submitted for a contest Gerber was holding for a national marketing campaign for baby food, the Associated Press reported.

The company chose the sketch to become the company's trademark in 1931. Cook's cherubic baby face has been featured on Gerber products and advertising ever since.

Cook grew up to be an English teacher in the Tampa Bay area. She was also a mystery novelist.

For many years, people didn't know the identity of the Gerber baby. Some thought it could be Elizabeth Taylor,, while others pondered Humphrey Bogart. In the late 1970s, when Cook was in her 50s, she was revealed as the Gerber baby, AP reported.

Cook told The Associated Press in a 1998 interview that her mother had told her when she was young that she was the baby in the illustration.

She said, "If you’re going to be a symbol for something, what could be more pleasant than a symbol for baby food?"

As for the image itself, she said, “All babies are appealing. The reason that drawing has been so popular is the artist captured the appeal that all babies have.″

The Associated Press contributed to this story.

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