Longtime Sloatsburg resident Richard Cook passed away on June 5, surrounded by his family, the thing he held nearest and dearest. He was 78 years old.

Cook was a quiet participant in Sloatsburg’s community, devoted to St. Joan of Arc Church, the Knights of Columbus and the Sloatsburg Public Library, where he was a Trustee and Financial Officer. He was a strong advocate for Library children’s programs and was the project leader on installing new fencing at the Library – his last effort as an active board member.

He was also a frequent patron, partaking in any and all crossword puzzle activities, and later in life, Cook often brought his grandchildren to the Library – sometimes visiting twice a day. It was apparent that his family provided Cook with great happiness.

Born and raised in the Flatbush section of Brooklyn, Cook was eternally a family man, having grown up with siblings, and then his own family of five. Later in life, Cook took great delight and comfort in his own growing group of grandchildren.

Richard S. Cook was active in the Sloatsburg community and a Trustee of the Sloatsburg Public Library. He took great comfort and joy in the company of his children and grand children.

With a generous sense of fun and adventure, Cook was perhaps a quintessential Sloatsburger – both hard working and devoted to community.

Cook settled in the Pine Grove neighborhood of Sloatsburg with his wife Loretta, and instilled in his own family a sense of adventure and love for the outdoors. One neighbor recalled a fond late night sledding adventure with Cook from the mid-1970s, where Cook coaxed everyone into a late night session of sledding after a big snow and before the Village plowed the roads.

By many accounts, Cook quietly and joyfully participated in any number of Sloatsburg activities, leaving a lasting impression on his family and many friends.

A Mass of Christian burial was celebrated for Cook at St . Joan of Arc Church in Sloatsburg, NY, where he was interred in the Ascension Cemetery.