Rita C. Sands, 75, formerly of Franklin Square, died on Sept. 20, 1999. She was born in Astoria, Queens to William and Rita Schroeppel in 1923 and graduated from Sewanhaka High School in 1941. She was active in the Franklin Square Historical Society. Her first husband, James E. Sands, died in 1970, and her second husband, David O'Keefe, in 1996. She is survived by her son, James E. Sands Jr.; brother William Schroeppel; sister May Keifer; grandchildren, Jeffrey and Jennifer. She was cremated and interred in LI National Cemetery beside her first husband.

Ray Booth, 73, of Franklin Square, died on Sept. 27, 1999. He was a veteran of WWII who witnessed the Japanese surrender on Sept. 2, 1945 aboard the USS Missouri. He was born in Manchester, NH and graduated from West High School where he was a star quarterback for the football team and captain of the baseball team. He graduated from Wentworth Institute, a trade school for pattern making and machine design in Boston. Mr. Booth joined the NYPD in 1953 and served for 20 years retiring as a detective. He was awarded the department's Medal of Valor in 1975 when he was shot while stopping a hold up. He worked as a senior investigator for Special State Prosecutor Maurice Nadjari until 1987 and then as assistant deputy chief of the Rackets Squad with Queens District Attorney, John Santucci until 1991.

Mr. Booth was an active member and former vice president of the USS Missouri Association and was a scoutmaster of Troop 432 in Queens Village. He received the Bishop's Pelican Award for his work with the scouts.

Mr. Booth is survived by his wife, Elizabeth; his children, Ray Jr. of Franklin Square, and John of Bellmore; daughter-in-law Joann; granddaughter, Kristina; and several nieces and nephews. Interment Calverton National Cemetery.