Ivan Anthony Mack

Ivan Anthony Mack, 89, of Lady Lake, Florida, formerly of Lindenhurst, NY, passed away Friday, September 27, 2013. Ivan was born August 16, 1924, in Astoria, New York, the son of Lister and Carmen (nee Campbell) Mack. A veteran of the U.S. Army, Ivan honorably served his country during World War II. He lived in Lindenhurst, New York, for 37 years, where he was a purchasing agent for the Lindenhurst School System and went on to own and operate Card Castle, a card and gift store in Lindenhurst. Moving to Lady Lake 22 years ago, Ivan continued to be involved in his community. He was an active member of St. Timothy Catholic Church and a Third Degree Knight of Columbus. Left to cherish his memory is his wife of 62 1/2 years, Ethel; his children, Stephen M. Mack and wife Barbara, Brian A. Mack, Kevin Mack and wife Catherine, and Eileen Parascondola; his grandchildren, Tony DeLuca, Brian DeLuca, Jeanine Brown, Marielle Borzello, Katherine Mack, Christopher Mack, Marissa Mack, Gary Mack, and Jocelyn Mack; his great-grandchildren, Julian Brown, Kaitlyn DeLuca, Brian DeLuca, Jr., and Sebastian James DeLuca; and his sisters Elaine Mack and Beverly Mack. His daughter, Kathleen Borzello, predeceased him. The family will receive friends on Thursday October 3, 2013 from 2:00- 5:00 and 7:00- 9:30 at Boyd-Spencer Funeral Home 448 Main Street, Babylon, New York. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 11:00 A.M. Friday October 4, 2013 at Our Lady of Perpetual Help R.C. Church, Wellwood Avenue, Lindenhurst, N.Y. Interment will be in Long Island National Cemetery, Farmingdale, New York. Donations may be made in his memory to St. Vincent de Paul Society of St. Timothy Catholic Church, at (352) 753-1455. Condolences may be shared with the family at www.boyd-spencer.com.

When someone is identified as a natural leader, certain images come to mind. First thoughts are of a no-nonsense, tough-minded, dedicated and disciplined person. Ivan Mack will be remembered as being highly organized, practical and realistic. He was a person who always carried a strong sense of duty with him throughout his life. Possessed with traditional “old school” morals, Ivan was an individual who clearly communicated to those around him just who he was and what he was all about. Everyone acquainted with Ivan knew him as a well-respected man who was a stable force in his community.

Ivan was born on August 16, 1924 at the family home in Astoria, New York. His parents were Lister & Carmen Mack. Ivan was raised in Astoria, New York and the Bronx, New York. Even as a youngster, Ivan learned to be objective and decisive. His faith in the principles of authority and dependability was something that he carried with him throughout his life.

As a young boy, Ivan was able to put his natural abilities to work. He was a bit like the sergeant of the family, helping to make sure that the others did what they should do and that they avoided those things they weren’t supposed to. In other words, he liked to organize and direct. Ivan was raised with 2 siblings. He had 2 younger sisters, Elaine and Beverly. Ivan had an inborn appreciation for the order in the family, allowing for the oldest members to be the most respected and to take on the most responsibility. For Ivan, this was a natural order of life, one he gladly embraced.

Ivan's matter-of-fact attitude about most things was developed during his childhood. As a young boy, Ivan enjoyed being part of teams, and organizations and groups of other kids who shared similar interests. Ivan took part in tennis. In his spare time he liked to collect stamps.

In school, Ivan was as close to being a model student as one could possibly imagine. He sought to achieve perfect attendance in all of his classes. He would eagerly complete his homework, and often put in extra study time when he felt it was necessary. A logical and focused thinker, Ivan was always good at following directions and meeting his schedules, whether they were set by his teachers or were self-imposed. Ivan’s personal motto could well have been, “Do it right the first time.” He graduated from New York School of Printing in 1942.

Ivan’s practical work ethic carried over into his college years. His logical mind permitted him to work hard without succumbing to the usual distractions of college life. He would tackle an assignment and work through it before moving onto the next project. Ivan’s orderly nature gave way to establishing personal study habits and procedures that not only helped him stay on track but often put him ahead of schedule. When Ivan saw the need or benefit, he would willingly take on the extra assignment or even attend extra classes in order to learn more and become a better student. He earned his Associate's Degree in Business Management from Pace University.

Ivan was sociable and approachable. Because he was always so straightforward in how he approached relationships, friends and family knew that what they saw was always what they got. He enjoyed the camaraderie of being with a group of friends. When Ivan was a member of a group, his interaction worked to keep the others grounded. He wasn’t afraid to confront his friends and, when necessary, he challenged them to stick to the task at hand. Those close to Ivan came to expect his high standards of performance. While growing up, some of his best friends were Roy Sapienza, Horace and Audley DeSousa. Later in life, he became friends with Larry and Florence McLaughlin; Donald and Veronica Considine and Joe and Ronnie Windishman.

An objective and conscientious individual, Ivan reveled in the security of his family. On April 7, 1951 Ivan exchanged wedding vows with Ethel Mary Moran at the Our Lady of Mercy RC Church, of Bronx, New York. Ivan & Ethel enjoyed a happy marriage of 62 1/2 years together. One of Ivan’s most endearing qualities was his uncanny ability to remember important dates and anniversaries, and his unending enthusiasm for organizing a celebration for his family and friends.

Ivan was ever watchful of his children. He worried about them and was deeply concerned for their development as they grew up. He maintained a firm hand in their upbringing. Ivan would give his stamp of approval to their requests, as long as he could see how they might benefit. He also had the ability to enforce the rules as needed to ensure that his children were properly raised. Ivan was blessed with six children, three sons, Stephen, Brian, Kevin, and three daughters, Kathleen Borzello, who passed away in August of 2013, Eileen Parascondola, and Leslie AnnMarie, who passed away at birth. They were also blessed with twelve grandchildren; Katherine, Christopher, Marissa, Gary, Jocelyn, Tony, Brian, Jeanine, Matthew, Jeffrey, Marielle, and Ricky, and four great grandchildren; Kaitlyn, Brian Jr., Sebastian, and Julian.

Being a hard worker who praised efficiency, Ivan was always striving to make improvements where they were necessary. He was able to analyze situations and problems, keeping everything and everyone on track. An excellent project supervisor, Ivan was a person who could quickly make decisions based on the information available. He worked cooperatively and expected the same from his colleagues. In both his personal and professional environments, Ivan upheld his standards. His primary occupation was Purchasing Agent as well as Proprietor of the Card Castle Card and Gift Shop and the K&M Social and Professional Stationary. Ivan was a team player who certainly lived out the motto of “give me a job, and I will get it done.”

Ivan was an Army Veteran. His sense of duty helped lead him into the military where his understanding of rank, his willingness to abide by rules and regulations, and his desire to follow orders was admired by his fellow service men and women. He was in the Infantry from 1944 to 1945. Ivan saw action for 2 years in Europe during World War Two. Through his hard work and dedication, he achieved the rank of Technical Sergeant. He received several awards recognizing him for his heroism, including a Purple Heart, European Service medal, and others.

Ivan approached his leisure time in the same manner that he approached his life. A person who enjoyed being neat and orderly and one who understood the nature of things, he appreciated the hours he was able to devote to his various hobbies. His favorite pursuits were gardening, with a love of Geraniums; stamp collecting; reading; and raising fish in fresh as well as salt water fish tanks; and participating in local theatre groups, performing in "The Best of Broadway" as well as "West Side Story" where Ivan played the role of Officer Krupki.

Playing by the rules was a natural thing for Ivan to do in life and that carried over to his enjoyment of sports. In high school, Ivan played tennis. Recreational sports included golf, bowling, and jogging. He also was something of a sports fan and enjoyed watching his favorite events whenever he got the opportunity. Tops on his list was baseball.

Being generous with his time and energy, Ivan liked to belong to a variety of groups and organizations. He was a vocal leader who enjoyed being a part of things. His desire to uphold traditions and his ability to take charge of any type of project made him a tremendous asset. Throughout his later years, Ivan was an active member and Past President of the Lindenhurst Historical Society; Past President of the Holy Name Society, Past President of the OLPH Parish Council and CCD Program; Member of OLPH Council# 794 of the Knights of Columbus; Coordinator of the Lectors as well as the OLPH Parish School Board, in Lindenhurst, NY. After relocating to Lady Lake Florida, Ivan became very active with St. Timothy’s RC Church as coordinator of the Sacristans, he was Past President of the Parish Council and was also active as a Lector, Eucharistic Minister and a minister for the sick.

A civic-minded person, Ivan was usually ready to jump in and help with community activities. He was the type of person who could masterfully organize events and projects and then see to it that they were run in an efficient and timely manner. Ivan was a member of several community groups, and while serving as President of the Historical Society he planned the Breslau Lindenhurst Bicentennial Celebration. During these years, Ivan applied his analytical intellect to problem solving and so was an asset on most committees.

Faith was important to Ivan. He held high moral standards and was worried about the moral decay he saw around him. For that reason he held deep spiritual beliefs that he was willing to share. He was a member of Our Lady of Perpetual Help for 38 years and St. Timothy's for 21 years. During that time, he was a Lecture; and a Eucharistic Minister and a minister for the sick.

As someone who placed a high value on showing gratitude, Ivan could graciously accept a “thank you” extended to him by those he helped. However, individual recognition wasn’t a motivating force for Ivan; rather, when he saw that there was a need to get something done, he was more than willing to give his time and energy in order to see it accomplished. His most prestigious award included The Mary Mother of God Diocesan Medal.

Ivan was a lover of animals and cherished his pets. One of Ivan’s favorites was Pooky, a Dachsoodle. They were best friends for 15 years. His family was rounded out by his tropical fish.

When Ivan’s retirement finally arrived in 1992, he was well prepared. He used his critical evaluation skills to make sure that every detail had been preplanned and attended to. His new life involved relocating to Lady Lake Florida. In retirement, he found new pleasure in reading and staying active in the church. In many ways, Ivan loved retirement. It provided him with the opportunity to catch up with his friends, attend functions and group outings, and tackle new interesting activities.

Ivan passed away on September 27th, at home, surrounded by his family. Ivan finally succumbed after a long battle from complications of pneumonia. He is survived by his Beloved wife Ethel, his loving and devoted children, Stephen (Barbara), Brian, Kevin (Catherine), the late Kathleen, Eileen, 2 dear sisters, Elaine and Beverly, as well as 12 grandchildren and 4 great grandchildren, as well as many nieces, nephews, cousins and friends. Services were held at St. Timothy's RC Church in Lady Lake Florida and Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Lindenhurst, New York. Ivan was laid to rest in Long Island National Cemetery, Pinelawn, New York.

All who knew him would agree that Ivan was a pillar of the community. He lived his life with his feet firmly on the ground. He had a strong work ethic, was pragmatic in his thoughts and acts, and constantly sought the means for self-improvement. He was willing to share his ideas and knowledge for the benefit of others, so that they could accomplish more in their lives.