Born in Baghdad. Iraq in 1946, Yvonne later emigrated at age 4 with her family to Cedarhurst, NY, in pursuit of religious freedom. She graduated from Lawrence High School, and then attended the University of Cincinnati completing her bachelor's degree in 1968. She later returned to New York to pursue a career in social work and furthered her education with courses at Columbia and later at Adelphi University. Yvonne worked as a paralegal in her brother Steven Mukamal's Immigration Law Practice for 13 years.
Yvonne considered herself a “Manhattan Girl”, where she lived for most of her life. However, she also loved to travel and visited new places both in the U.S. and abroad. She enjoyed experiencing different cultures and food as well as the beauty of nature. She relocated to Arizona for a few years and worked at America West Airlines as a booking agent.
When her mother, Mary Mukamal, could no longer live independently due to Alzheimer’s disease, Yvonne selflessly became her dedicated caregiver. She facilitated her mother's care and kept her engaged for many years.
In her last years she volunteered at Selfhelp Community Services, serving Holocaust Survivors on Long Island.
Yvonne was a generous, creative and empathetic woman who loved her family, gardening, art, music, nature and children. She was inquisitive and had a good sense of humor. She also was extremely independent, with strong opinions and loyalties. Yvonne will be deeply missed. We loved her very much.
Charitable donations in memory of Yvonne to organizations she supported may be directed to:
The Alzheimer's Foundation
Selfhelp Community Services, Inc. (Holocaust Survivor Program)
New York Botanical Garden
World Wildlife Fund
Shriners Children’s Hospital
St Labre Indian School
A funeral service will be held Sunday, October 27, 2024 from 2:00 PM to 3:30 PM at Boulevard-Riverside Chapels, 1450 Broadway, Hewlett, NY 11557. A livestream will be available. (Link and details below.)
