The entire Manhasset community was shocked this past week at the violent deaths, one a few days after the other, of two young women who had grown up here and graduated from Manhasset High School. Marjorie Clayton Cordero, 41, was struck and killed by a hit-and-run driver at 9:45 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 22, as she crossed Glen Cove Road a few blocks from her home in Greenvale. Police said there were no known witnesses but, based on evidence found at the scene, they were searching for the driver of a black Ford. Police were hoping lab tests on car parts found at the scene would yield more information about the vehicle. They ask anyone with information about the incident to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-244-TIPS.

Marjorie Clayton grew up in Plandome. She and her two sisters, Barbara and Christine, were all fascinated by horses and began to work at the track in their teens. Marjorie was a 1977 graduate of Manhasset High School. She became a jockey shortly thereafter, winning her first race in 1983. She rode for two years, and retired after having won 71 races. She married famed jockey Angel Cordero and worked with him as a trainer after his retirement as a jockey. The Corderos were married in 1989. They were the parents of three children, Julie, Canela and Angel. She is also survived by her mother, Irene, her siblings, Samuel, George, Barbara and Christine. She was pre-deceased by her father, Dr. Samuel Clayton. A funeral Mass was celebrated on Friday, Jan. 26, at St. Hyacinth Church in Glen Head with interment following in Locust Valley Cemetery. The family would appreciate donations to The Thoroughbred Horse Retirement Foundation.

A few days later an even more violent death rocked the Manhasset community. Diane Whipple, lacrosse star and graduate with the Manhasset High School Class of 1986, was mauled to death in her California apartment house by two dogs.

According to San Francisco police, around 4 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 26, Ms. Whipple returned from marketing just as her neighbor arrived home with her two dogs on a leash. The dogs are said to be a mix of Old English mastiff and Canary Island cattle dog. The dogs attacked Ms. Whipple and their owner was unable to control them. They continued to bite and maul her for 10 minutes, during which time neighbors, hearing her screams, called the police. By the time the police arrived the dogs had finished their attack and gone into the apartment of their owner and Ms. Whipple was barely conscious. She was taken to San Francisco General Hospital where she was pronounced dead at about 9 p.m.

Police said that the dogs had been adopted by the neighbor and her husband from a Southern California animal shelter. The owners could face criminal neglect charges and manslaughter.

Diane Whipple had been, as mentioned above, a lacrosse star at Manhasset, being chosen for All American. She went on to play at Penn State University where she was also voted All-American. After college she took a job coaching lacrosse at a prep school near San Francisco, subsequently becoming head coach of the women's lacrosse program at St. Mary's College in Moraga, CA. This year would have been her 15th reunion at Manhasset High.