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Robert John DeYoung
Robert “Bob” “Bobby” DeYoung of East Quogue died peacefully in his sleep at Stony Brook University Hospital on August 18. He was 79.
He was born under the rays of the Fire Island Lighthouse and baptized in the waters of the Great South Bay.
A South Shore boy through and through, he grew up in West Islip, and ultimately landed in East Quogue.
After graduating from St. Michael’s College, DeYoung served stateside in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War and then traveled extensively abroad.
He wore many professional hats during his lifetime — banker, real estate broker, lobster fisherman, bulkhead builder, home aide, and, for 20 years, (his dream job and true calling) steward of the Shinnecock Yacht Club in Quogue. He invigorated the junior sailing program, raced on weekends, shared his love and expertise of sailing with hundreds of young people and adults, and found joy and companionship in the many friendships he made throughout the years.
A devout Catholic, DeYoung was a regular at the 8 a.m. Mass at the Immaculate Conception Church on Quiogue. The practice of his faith and the sense of community he had with his fellow parishioners (his “sanctuary”) always provided him with guidance and comfort, his family said.
He will be sorely missed not only by his immediate family, but by the countless wonderful friends he accumulated throughout his well-lived life, his family said.
He was predeceased by his parents, Peter Lawrence and Anne Veronica Hassett DeYoung; and his brother, Peter DeYoung.
He is survived by his wife, Lee; his three children, Dylan, Lily and Hannah; his grandchildren, Rosemary, Cecilia and Willem; and his brother Richard “Dick” DeYoung.
A wake will be held at the Werner-Rothwell Funeral Home (60 Mill Rd, Westhampton Beach, NY) on Friday, August 25, from 4-8 p.m. Services will be at the Immaculate Conception Church (580 Main Street, Quiogue, NY) on Saturday, August 25, at 10 a.m.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Catholic Ministries Appeal (drvc.org/cma ) or to the North Fork Parish Outreach.
Staff Writer on Aug 21, 2023