Paul Edward Benfield of Sag Harbor Dies March 10

Paul Edward Benfield of Sag Harbor died on March 10. He was 74.

He was born on February 2, 1951, at Southampton Hospital. He grew up on High Street in Sag Harbor with his parents, Alice and Stanley, and his sister, Christine, and brother, Jimmy.

He graduated from Pierson High School, where he was a star athlete on the Whalers’ basketball and baseball teams. Pierson was also where he met his soul mate and the love of his life, Denise Holder. After graduating from Providence College in 1971, they married and remained inseparable for 53 years. Their remarkable relationship was the envy to all that knew them, his family said.

Soon after their marriage, they built a house on Widgeon Lane in Sag Harbor, which would grow with their family, as they had two daughters, Addie and Lucie. He purchased Dippel Fuel Oil and worked tirelessly to support his family and to take excellent care of his customers. Some years later, he also started Harbor Plumbing and Heating with his brother-in-law, Joe.

Although he worked many long hours, he never flagged in his commitment to his customers, whether it be taking service calls in the middle of the night or on Christmas. Rather, he felt proud of the level of service he provided to his community, many of whom he had known for years.

When he was not working, he cherished sitting around the dinner table each night with his family, summer trips to the Caribbean with his wife, and watching college basketball on the couch with his dog.

“Hondo,” as he was affectionately known by some, loved being a local. Sag Harbor meant sharing a pint with buddies after a day on the golf course, tooling down to the ocean in his jeep, enjoying a nice meal out with his wife, and the familiar warmth of friends and family around every corner.

After many wonderful years and following a much deserved retirement, the couple relocated to Oregon to be closer to their children and grandchildren. He quickly joined a local golf club and spent countless days playing the game that he adored so much, with new friends.

When not on the course, he could be found kidding around with his grandchildren, making memories with his wife, and giving his time and expertise to family and friends on countless home improvement projects. This latter hobby naturally earned him the nickname “Handyman.” Most importantly, the time spent working side by side with him on these projects was always more treasured than the beautiful things that were created.

He was an honest, generous, and deeply kind soul, his family said, and he delighted those around him with his endless warmth and surprisingly sarcastic sense of humor.