TRR photo by Laurie Stuart Pictured from the left are Judge Cooke's beloved wife Alice with sons Ed and George, Mary Ann Toomey, Lawrence H. Cooke II and wife Catherine at graveside services at Rock Ridge Cemetery. (Click for larger image)

By DAVID HULSE

MONTICELLO - Under a bright blue Sullivan County sky, one of its favorite sons, Judge Lawrence H. Cooke, was laid to rest at Rock Ridge Cemetery on Monday.

Thousands mourned his loss over the weekend after the 85-year-old Monticello native and former Chief Judge of New York State passed away at home on August 17, following a lengthy illness.

The county courthouse, which had been renamed in Cooke's honor three years ago, became his bier as he was laid in state Sunday afternoon in the central courtroom amid a sea of flowers and an honor guard of state and local police agencies.

	TRR photo by Laurie Stuart State troopers form an honor guard outside St. Peter's RC Church in Monticello. (Click for larger image)

The Sullivan County Sheriff's Department estimated some 2,000 persons attended.

The judge's grandchildren delivered the readings at Monday's Mass of Christian Burial at a packed St. Peter's Church. Sitting Chief Judge Judith Kaye, also a Monticello native, eulogized Judge Cooke, saying, "At the center of all the things he did was the simple fact that he liked and believed in and cared about people. People were important to him." (The complete text of Judge Kaye's remarks can be found on page 5.)

People stood along the street and Monticello firefighters joined them in saluting the passing funeral entourage.

In Albany Governor George Pataki issued an August 18 statement saying, "New York today mourns the death of Chief Judge Lawrence Cooke, the twentieth Chief Judge of our State Court of Appeals. Chief Judge Cooke served this State with distinction, with dignity and intelligent good humor, and he will be sorely missed.

	TRR photo by David Hulse The judge's portrait on the far wall looked down as mourners met with family in a lengthy reception line headed by sons Edward and George. (Click for larger image)

"During his tenure on the Court of Appeals, he devoted himself tirelessly to the improvement of judicial administration, both in New York and throughout the country. In recent years, I was honored to have Judge Cooke head up the State's Judicial Screening Committee, a task he performed with his customary skill.

"Judge Cooke was great New Yorker who furthered the great cause of justice throughout his long and distinguished career, and all New Yorkers are saddened by his passing."