Adele Constance “The Hurricane” Hocking (Sorokach) died peacefully at her home in New Rochelle, NY, on March 10, 2018, with her daughters and several grandchildren by her side. She was 82.
Adele is survived by children, Cindy A. Hocking of New Rochelle, NY, Paul W. Hocking of Boynton Beach, FL, and Wendy A. Hopkins of New Rochelle, NY, as well as her grandchildren Tamara Hocking of Saint Robert, MS, Nicholas Hocking of Atlanta, GA, Tyler and Lexi Prugh of New Rochelle, NY, and Jonathan, Kaitlyn, Melissa and Christopher Hopkins of New Rochelle, NY. Adele was preceded in death by her husband Wendell Victor Hocking (August 13, 1994), and her brother Alfred Sorokach of Oakridge, NJ (December 31, 2012).
Adele was born on January 20, 1936 in Clifton, NJ to Alexander and Rose Sorokach (Szmagalski). She graduated from Fairleigh Dickenson College (now University), Teaneck, NJ, in 1958, with a Bachelor of Arts degree in early childhood education, and later received her Master’s degree in elementary education from The College of New Rochelle. She married her husband Wendell on September 27, 1959, settling in New Rochelle where they raised their three children.
Adele was an elementary school teacher at Hutchinson Elementary School in Pelham, NY from 1970 until her retirement in 1999. During her tenure, she was given the nickname “The Hurricane” for her ability to “project” her voice to get students’ attention, and was still affectionately remembered by that name by former students, and her family and friends, until her passing.
Her focus in her remaining years was on her grandchildren. She often made trips to South Carolina to visit with Paul, Tamara and Nicholas, and was fortunate to have lived with Cindy, Tyler and Lexi after retirement, and to have had Wendy, Jonny, Kaitlyn, Melissa and Chris living only blocks away.
A wake is scheduled for Wednesday, March 14, between 2-4 pm and 7-9 pm at Lloyd Maxcy & Sons Beauchamp Chapel, at 16 Shea Place, New Rochelle, NY. Funeral services will be held on Thursday, March 15, at Lloyd Maxcy starting at 10:30 am, followed by a burial service at Rose Hills Memorial Park, 101 Mill Street, Putnam Valley, NY. Memorial donations can be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital (https://www.stjude.org/).