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Frederick Charles Filasky of East Hampton died on May 29. He was 75 and had also lived in Wainscott, Water Mill and Noyac.
Mr. Filaksy was born to John and Rose (Vollkommer) Filasky on August 6, 1938, and spent his childhood on the Filasky farm with his six siblings harvesting potatoes, cabbage and other crops. He attended Oyster Bay High School. As he grew into a young man, he took over the responsibilities of the family farm, transforming the property into a tourist attraction for the New York metro area. Families and schoolchildren came in flocks to listen to a talking Peter Pumpkin, who mesmerized children atop a Farmall tractor, Mr. Filasky’s survivors said. Children picked pumpkins and jumped on hay rides in the fall, chose their favorite family Christmas tree in the winter and selected the sweetest corn in the summer. The farm was the heart of the island for many families and children, especially for his own children, Fred Jr., Brian, Karen, Shane and Holly.
Mr. Filasky had many interests, including fast cars, snowmobiling, motorcycles and skiing. He loved spending time outdoors and in the wilderness, where he would hunt and then tell his signature stories and jokes around the campfire. He loved to be on the water by boat and on the beach getting a tan with his wife, Adele, who survives him. A savvy negotiator, he also loved to seek out and purchase interesting antiques, including old guns and knives, military pieces, furniture and decorative items. He was a member of the Glen Head Rod and Gun Club.
After the famous Filasky farm came to an end in 1987, Mr. Filasky transitioned from being a farmer to working the soil as an excavator in a business started with his two eldest sons. In 1996, he started a bed and breakfast called the Plover’s Nest in East Hampton with his wife. They spent four years running the popular B&B. The couple’s love for renovating homes and passion for interior design drove them to buy and sell homes from 1992 to the present in locations from the Hamptons to Vermont. They even ventured to the island of Saint Barths, where they owned and operated a rental property for 11 years. Most recently, they spent the last few years in southern Vermont, living in a quaint log cabin overlooking the Green Mountains. Each and every dream he envisioned with his wife always became a reality, Mr. Filasky’s survivors said. He was a true businessman, entrepreneur and charmer with many talents and a quick wit that captivated everyone around him, they said.
In addition to his wife, Adele R. (Stoessel) Filasky, he is survived by five children, Fred Filasky Jr. of Jericho, Brian Filasky of Huntington, Karen Filasky of Rocky Point, Shane Filasky of Amagansett and Holly Rule of New Jersey. He is also survived by three grandchildren; a brother, Ray Filasky of Delaware; and three sisters, Delores Somelofski of Andes, Barbara Wyatt of Maryland and June Burket of Fairport. He is also survived by 17 nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by a brother, Jack Filasky, and a sister, Doris Carlson.
A wake was held on June 2 at Yardley and Pino Funeral Home in East Hampton.
Memorial donations may be made to the American Heart Association, www.heart.org, or American Diabetes Association, www.diabetes.org.
on Jun 2, 2014