"She was a wonderful person - vibrant, alive, intelligent, an outstanding mother," said Albert Ouaknine, 70, a neighbor who lived near Aronov's weekend home in Southampton, L.I.

We just didn't think it was going to end this way," said Deborah Engel, a friend who shared double dates and snowball fights with the rare-books dealer who disappeared blocks from her East Side home March 3.

For the 300 gathered for the 44-year-old Russian immigrant's funeral, the mystery surrounding Aronov's disappearance was less a focus than her robust life.

Husband, kids distraught

Mourners passed around photographs of Aronov at tony New York parties and recalled her love of the theater and zest for nighttime ocean swims as they stood outside the Manhattan church where she had worshiped.

The private remembrances came instead of a eulogy, which is not part of the formal Russian Orthodox funeral service.

"This is a Russian service. There are no speeches," said Dr. Alexander Aronov, her husband, who looked thin and drained as he entered the hushed church.

The oncologist walked directly to his wife's closed oak coffin, kissed it and waited silently before being joined by the rest of his family.

The Aronovs' 9-year-old daughter, Veronica, wiped away her own tears to console adults with hugs. The blond, ponytailed girl eventually retreated to the arms of her 22-year-old sister, Polina, who, like a mother, kissed the child on her head. Both sisters burst into tears as they walked behind their mother's coffin in a sad procession out of the Synodal Cathedral of the Mother of God of the Sign on E. 93rd St.

"Give rest, oh, Lord, to thy servant, Svetlana, who has fallen asleep," the Rev. Andrei Sommer prayed during the nearly 90-minute ceremony.

Aronov's decomposing body surfaced last week in the East River, ending a search for the woman who left her home at 64th St. and York Ave. to walk her father's cocker spaniel and never returned.

An autopsy showed that she drowned, and detectives are working to determine whether it was an accident, foul play or suicide that sent her into the frigid river.

The burial in Southampton brought a final rush of tears as Alexander Aronov leaned his head against the coffin before it was lowered into the grave.

"Only God knows," Sommer said, "why He chose to take this beautiful woman from you at this time."

Originally published on May 13, 2003