Politics & Government

East Rockaway Post Office Could Be Re-Named After Longtime Letter Carrier

John Cook worked at the post office for over 60 years.

 

The U.S. House of Representatives passed Rep. Carolyn McCarthy’s (D-NY4) bill to rename the East Rockaway, New York Post Office after a letter carrier and local resident who worked there for over 60 years.

On Wednesday, the House passed H.R. 2079, a bill to officially name the post office in East Rockaway the “John J. Cook Post Office.”

Find out what's happening in Malverne-Lynbrookwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Having passed the full House of Representatives, the legislation now moves to the Senate for a vote before it can be signed into law by the president.

“John Cook served the East Rockaway community as a letter carrier for multiple generations of families,” Rep. McCarthy said. “For over 60 years, Mr. Cook proved to be a model federal employee by displaying professionalism, courtesy, and tireless dedication. He was truly a remarkable individual and this will be a fitting tribute to an extraordinary man.  I’m proud to have helped in this effort to honor the memory of this outstanding American citizen.”

Find out what's happening in Malverne-Lynbrookwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Mr. Cook’s widow Roberta Cook said that John loved his job.

"He would be so happy to see the place where he dedicated so much of his life named after him," Roberta said. I'm so proud of him and am grateful to Congresswoman McCarthy and everyone else who are working to make this happen."

Town of Hempstead Councilman Anthony J. Santino was the one who brought the story of Cook to Rep. McCarthy’s attention.

 "It's truly fitting that the United States honors the late John Cook for his tireless devotion to East Rockaway for the greater part of a century," Santino said. "As one of our nation's longest serving letter carriers, John left a great legacy."

After serving in World War II in the Pacific theater, Mr. Cook began working for the local post office and quickly became an integral part of the East Rockaway community.  Day in and day out – for the next 60 years – Mr. Cook took pride in his work delivering the mail to his friends and neighbors in East Rockaway, according to a press release.

Cook consistently went above and beyond his expected duties by doing things like inquiring about his customers’ health whenever he knew someone on his route had been sick. At times, he even canceled family vacations because the post office needed him for a last-minute shift. His commitment and service to East Rockaway have made him a well-loved and greatly admired member of the community, the release said.


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here