Alfred Vincent Koral died on June 21 at his home in Shinnecock Hills. An establishing partner in the Koral Brothers construction company, he was 91.
Born and raised in Southampton with his three siblings, he graduated from Southampton Public Schools in 1936. He worked as a carpenter and craftsman until he was offered a choice between enlisting for one year in the U.S. armed forces or waiting to eventually be drafted.
Mr. Koral was one of a group of local young men in their early 20s who elected to volunteer for their one-year term at the beginning of 1941. Eleven months later, shortly before their enlistment would have terminated, Pearl Harbor was bombed and the United States’ involvement in World War II began. As a result he served for almost five full years in the U.S. Army.
He served overseas in the South Pacific as a medical corpsman in the 27th Infantry Division and was involved in major armed assaults and defensives. Although he was awarded the Bronze Star, he seldom discussed his wartime experiences.
Upon returning home from the war, he again worked in the building trade for his father. In 1952, he joined his brother, Edwin Koral, in establishing a partnership called Koral Brothers. He retired from his construction career in 1981, but “Al,” as he became known, and his brother forged a bond in building custom homes in the Hamptons that has survived to this day.
He was a member of the local Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 7009; American Legion Post 908; the United Methodist Church of Southampton; and the Southampton Fire Department. He was a founding member of the Bull Head Yacht Club. Also an avid athlete, he excelled in bowling and golf and was a founding member, treasurer and director at Southampton Golf Club for many years. He had a golf handicap of two for a period of time and was runner-up for the championship of Southampton Golf Club several times.
According to his family, Mr. Koral shared the aging golfer’s goal of being able to shoot his age, which he first achieved at age 69. He continued to repeat this feat well into his 70s, an accomplishment that brought him much joy.
Among his many golfing awards, his most cherished trophy was the one he was awarded at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club at the age of 12 for winning the annual Caddy Tournament. At that time, about 1930, the club had some 100 caddies, and one of Mr. Koral’s stories inolved a freight train loaded with potatoes heading west that was unable to negotiate the slight uphill grade where the college now stands.
The engineer walked over to the golf club and asked the caddy master if all the caddies would help push the train so he might be able to climb the slight grade and continue on his trip to New York. All the boys went to the engineer’s assistance and got the train on its way again.
Mr. Koral is survived by his wife, Benita Koral of Southampton, “the love of his life,” according to family members, who said the couple enjoyed a close and happy relationship for more than 50 years. He is also survived by a brother, Edwin Koral; several in-laws; and eight nieces and nephews, who described him as their “favorite uncle.”
Survivors said this week that he will always be remembered as a true gentleman.
Services were scheduled for today, Thursday, June 25, from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. at the Brockett Funeral Home in Southampton, with the Reverend Lee of the Southampton Methodist Church officiating at a service at 8 p.m. Interment will be at Southampton Cemetery.
on Jun 24, 2009