Angela Buckhout Dies At 66

Angela Buckhout

Angela Buckhout, president of WLNG Radio, died at her home of more than 40 years on Saturday, May 21, after being diagnosed with lung cancer only six months ago. She was 66.

Known as Ann, Ms. Buckhout was born in Rochester to Betty and Anthony Mastromatteo on July 15,1944. After graduating from high school in Rochester, Ms. Buckhout moved to Long Island to attend the newly formed Stony Brook University where she met her future husband David Buckhout, who predeceased her. They were married on February 20, 1963, and shared a passion for rock collecting and geology that led them both to the University of Arizona for a short while, as well as many cross country rock collecting excursions. She went on to become a teacher of biology and general science at various secondary schools on Long Island after graduating from Adelphi University. In 1969, the couple settled in East Hampton after Mr. Buckhout accepted a full time teaching position at the high school. In her fifties, Ms. Buckhout went on to earn a master’s of business administration from Dowling College.

After giving birth to Christopher, her first of two sons, she became a stay-at-home mom, and remained so until her second son Brian entered kindergarten in 1979. She began working as a part-time bookkeeper for Montauk Caribbean Airways that operated out of East Hampton Airport. Here she met the owners of another business, WLNG, which was a small AM radio station at the time. Over the next 30 years, she served as treasurer and helped the station grow to its present position, and became president five years ago. She was also a past president of the East Hampton Kiwanis Club as well as a recipient of the DeWitt Clinton Masonic Award for Community Service.

She took great pride in her home, the iconic Hardscrabble farmhouse on the corner of Route 114 and Stephen Hands Path, which she worked tirelessly to preserve and renovate. While looking for a home, a frustrated realtor asked what kind of a house she was looking for as they were driving past the then dilapidated farmhouse, “something just like that” she said pointing. The house happened to quietly be on the market, but was in such bad shape back then that the banks wouldn’t give them a loan. Fortunately, the farmer who owned it was willing to hold the paper and make the mortgage himself.

She is survived by her sons, Christopher and Brian Buckhout of East Hampton; grandchildren, Benjamin and Henry Buckhout of East Hampton; and the people she opened her heart and home to, Thomas Nesbitt and his children of North Carolina and Anne Brigite Surin and her children of Florida. She was predeceased by her sister Barbara.

Visitation took place at Yardley & Pino Funeral Home in East Hampton on Tuesday, May 24. A memorial service will be held on Wednesday, May 25, at 3 p.m., at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church in East Hampton. Following the service, all are invited to a reception at the family’s home.

Memorial donations may be made to Toys for Tots c/o East Hampton Kiwanis Club, P.O. Box 1902, East Hampton, NY 11937.