Obituaries/Services

Sarah Mook - Our dear Aunt Sarah went home to be with our Lord at the age of 93 on April 3, 2023. She lived a full life with many achievements. She was born in October 29, 1929, a date that she would often remind us was the day of the Great Stock Market Crash. She grew up in south Brooklyn, New York in the same neighborhood she lived all her life. After graduating from Hunter College with a B.A., she entered the working world at a time when the scientific workforce around her was dominated by men. She soon made herself known as a force to be reckoned with. They could not deny her intelligence or her ferocity. Her first appointment was as a cartographer to the U.S. Geological Survey, Dept. of Interior in Washington, DC. Her next appointment was as a Research Assistant at the Columbia University Mineral Beneficiation Laboratory under contract with the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission. When that project concluded she was recruited by Combustion Engineering, Inc., Nuclear Division. She participated in the building of Admiral Hyman Rickover’s Nuclear Navy. Her primary responsibility was to ensure the safety of the reactors of the nuclear vessels. The next 15 years were spent with different companies where, under contract with the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission, they engaged in development of an extraction procedure to recover and concentrate radionuclides from waste streams which could then be utilized in commercial applications; with the Dept. of the Navy, in the research and development of a light sensitive self-darkening system to protect the eyes of crew members who might be involved in detonation of thermonuclear devices. This project has resulted in products available in the consumer market that we take for granted today, such as Nitebrite lenses, self-darkening Photo-gray transition lenses as well as photochromic ski goggles; with the Dept. of the Army, developed a field testing kit to detect lead that was used in Vietnam. Research in these last three departments resulted in Sarah becoming an author of several chemistry publications. In 1966, she was a member of a U.S. contingent that attended the International Symposium of the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry, Macromolecular Division in Kyoto Japan and in 1978 to Tashkent, USSR. In the early 70s, she and her niece traveled to several European nations. Besides working, she also took graduate courses at Columbia University and the University of Hartford. After the Vietnam War, she switched her career to Clinical Chemistry. She began working for NYC at Coney Island Hospital and later transferred to Bellevue Hospital as the Principal Chemist of the Chemistry and Toxicology Labs where she remained until her retirement. She was a lifetime member of Park Avenue Christian Church in New York starting as a child and remained their oldest member. During that time she served as President of the Christian Women’s Fellowship from 1962-1965; Board of Trustees 1972-1982, as Secretary 1973-1980, Vice Chair 1980-1981, as Chair 1981-1982; as Elder 1982- ; served on the Fellowship Committee, Pulpit Committee, Organ Committee, Membership Committee, President of Gregarians and Sunday Evening Club. She was one of the founders of the 29ers and then Gothamites. She sang in the choir for 38 years. As Chair of the Trustees, she initiated and urged consideration by the Trustees to establish an endowment for the maintenance and preservation of the buildings. She wrote the principle of the Endowment which was presented to the Official Board. Upon acceptance by the Official Board, the Trustees Fund was launched. Since her retirement Sarah served on the Neighborhood Advisory Board under NYC Dept. of Youth and Community Development for six years, as Secretary and then Chair. She taught ESL for 6 years at Homecrest Community Services, Inc. (founded by her brother Luther Mook), and until recently at the Jay Harama Senior Center. She served on the Community Board for two years. Since 2003 Sarah served on the Community Advisory Board at Coney Island Hospital and on its Executive Committee, By-Laws and Membership Committee and also as a representative of the Community Advisory Board on the Hospital Administration’s Patient Safety Committee. Under the auspices of the Community Affairs Dept. of the NYPD, she attended and graduated from the Citizens Police Academy in 2001. She served on the Executive Committee of the NY Metro Section of the American Association for Clinical Chemistry and served for nine years as Recording Secretary. Among her many accolades, Sarah received the Margaret M. McCord Woman of the Year Memorial Award, Sheepshead Bay Historical Society in 2004; Woman of the Year Humanitarian Award, NY State Senate, 2004; Distinguishing Leadership in the Community Award, NYC Office of the Comptroller, 2004; named Woman of the Year, NYC Council, 2004; Marjorie Matthews Community Advocate Recognition Award, NYC Health and Hospitals Corporation, 2008. She has also written up in Who’s Who of American Women. She has been a member of the American Chemical Society since 1957, The American Association for the Advancement of Science, the American Association for Clinical Chemistry and the NY Academy of Sciences. She was also an avid supporter of many Animal Rights and Veterans Support groups and a loyal supporter of her country. Sarah’s friends and family knew her to be extremely caring, supportive and loyal. The large family holiday dinners always included people who may not have had any place else to go. Her annual Christmas gifts of a variety of miniature homemade cookies that were made and wrapped with loving care was something we looked forward to each year. Her many self-catered affairs were legendary. With no children of her own, she doted on her niece, nephews and grandnephew and nieces like they were her own children and grandchildren. She is survived by her niece Carol Ann Delettera, her nephews Donald Wong (Debora) and Jeffrey Wong (Lisa) and her grandnephew and grandnieces Jeremy & Elisa, Lindsey & Katie. She is predeceased by her parents Wong Mook and Lie Won Mook, her sister Mary and her brother Luther. There will be a viewing at Ralph Aievoli & Son Funeral Home at 1275 Sixty-Fifth Street Brooklyn, NY 11219 on Monday April 10 from 4pm to 8pm and on Tuesday from 8am to 9pm with a service immediately following. Burial will be at Kensico Cemetery in Valhalla, NY. We will miss her very much but are thankful for all the love and caring she provided for us. Rest in peace Aunt Sarah. You fought the good fight, finished the journey and kept your faith. It is time to rest. Sarah Mook - Our dear Aunt Sarah went home to be with our Lord at the age of 93 on April 3, 2023. She lived a full life with many achievements. She was born in October 29, 1929, a date that she would often remind us was the day of the Great Stock Market Crash. She grew up in south Brooklyn, New York in the same neighborhood she lived all her life. After graduating from Hunter College with a B.A., she entered the working world at a time when the scientific workforce around her was dominated by men. She soon made herself known as a force to be reckoned with. They could not deny her intelligence or her ferocity. Her first appointment was as a cartographer to the U.S. Geological Survey, Dept. of Interior in Washington, DC. Her next appointment was as a Research Assistant at the Columbia University Mineral Beneficiation Laboratory under contract with the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission. When that project concluded she was recruited by Combustion Engineering, Inc., Nuclear Division. She participated in the building of Admiral Hyman Rickover’s Nuclear Navy. Her primary responsibility was to ensure the safety of the reactors of the nuclear vessels. The next 15 years were spent with different companies where, under contract with the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission, they engaged in development of an extraction procedure to recover and concentrate radionuclides from waste streams which could then be utilized in commercial applications; with the Dept. of the Navy, in the research and development of a light sensitive self-darkening system to protect the eyes of crew members who might be involved in detonation of thermonuclear devices. This project has resulted in products available in the consumer market that we take for granted today, such as Nitebrite lenses, self-darkening Photo-gray transition lenses as well as photochromic ski goggles; with the Dept. of the Army, developed a field testing kit to detect lead that was used in Vietnam. Research in these last three departments resulted in Sarah becoming an author of several chemistry publications. In 1966, she was a member of a U.S. contingent that attended the International Symposium of the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry, Macromolecular Division in Kyoto Japan and in 1978 to Tashkent, USSR. In the early 70s, she and her niece traveled to several European nations. Besides working, she also took graduate courses at Columbia University and the University of Hartford. After the Vietnam War, she switched her career to Clinical Chemistry. She began working for NYC at Coney Island Hospital and later transferred to Bellevue Hospital as the Principal Chemist of the Chemistry and Toxicology Labs where she remained until her retirement. She was a lifetime member of Park Avenue Christian Church in New York starting as a child and remained their oldest member. During that time she served as President of the Christian Women’s Fellowship from 1962-1965; Board of Trustees 1972-1982, as Secretary 1973-1980, Vice Chair 1980-1981, as Chair 1981-1982; as Elder 1982- ; served on the Fellowship Committee, Pulpit Committee, Organ Committee, Membership Committee, President of Gregarians and Sunday Evening Club. She was one of the founders of the 29ers and then Gothamites. She sang in the choir for 38 years. As Chair of the Trustees, she initiated and urged consideration by the Trustees to establish an endowment for the maintenance and preservation of the buildings. She wrote the principle of the Endowment which was presented to the Official Board. Upon acceptance by the Official Board, the Trustees Fund was launched. Since her retirement Sarah served on the Neighborhood Advisory Board under NYC Dept. of Youth and Community Development for six years, as Secretary and then Chair. She taught ESL for 6 years at Homecrest Community Services, Inc. (founded by her brother Luther Mook), and until recently at the Jay Harama Senior Center. She served on the Community Board for two years. Since 2003 Sarah served on the Community Advisory Board at Coney Island Hospital and on its Executive Committee, By-Laws and Membership Committee and also as a representative of the Community Advisory Board on the Hospital Administration’s Patient Safety Committee. Under the auspices of the Community Affairs Dept. of the NYPD, she attended and graduated from the Citizens Police Academy in 2001. She served on the Executive Committee of the NY Metro Section of the American Association for Clinical Chemistry and served for nine years as Recording Secretary. Among her many accolades, Sarah received the Margaret M. McCord Woman of the Year Memorial Award, Sheepshead Bay Historical Society in 2004; Woman of the Year Humanitarian Award, NY State Senate, 2004; Distinguishing Leadership in the Community Award, NYC Office of the Comptroller, 2004; named Woman of the Year, NYC Council, 2004; Marjorie Matthews Community Advocate Recognition Award, NYC Health and Hospitals Corporation, 2008. She has also written up in Who’s Who of American Women. She has been a member of the American Chemical Society since 1957, The American Association for the Advancement of Science, the American Association for Clinical Chemistry and the NY Academy of Sciences. She was also an avid supporter of many Animal Rights and Veterans Support groups and a loyal supporter of her country. Sarah’s friends and family knew her to be extremely caring, supportive and loyal. The large family holiday dinners always included people who may not have had any place else to go. Her annual Christmas gifts of a variety of miniature homemade cookies that were made and wrapped with loving care was something we looked forward to each year. Her many self-catered affairs were legendary. With no children of her own, she doted on her niece, nephews and grandnephew and nieces like they were her own children and grandchildren. She is survived by her niece Carol Ann Delettera, her nephews Donald Wong (Debora) and Jeffrey Wong (Lisa) and her grandnephew and grandnieces Jeremy & Elisa, Lindsey & Katie. She is predeceased by her parents Wong Mook and Lie Won Mook, her sister Mary and her brother Luther. There will be a viewing at Ralph Aievoli & Son Funeral Home at 1275 Sixty-Fifth Street Brooklyn, NY 11219 on Monday April 10 from 4pm to 8pm and on Tuesday from 8am to 9pm with a service immediately following. Burial will be at Kensico Cemetery in Valhalla, NY. We will miss her very much but are thankful for all the love and caring she provided for us. Rest in peace Aunt Sarah. You fought the good fight, finished the journey and kept your faith. It is time to rest.

Visitation: Monday, April 10, 4:00 pm ~ 8:00 pm, Tuesday, April 11, 8:00 am ~ 9:00 am,

Religious Services: Tuesday, April 11, 9:00 am,

Interment: Tuesday, April 11, Kensico Cemetery, Valhalla, NY