William A. Berkoski Sr. of Byron, formerly of Southampton, and Paradise Valley, Arizona, died August 1, 2019, at Premier Genesee Center for Nursing and Rehabilitation in Batavia. He was 86.
Mr. Berkoski was born June 18, 1933, in Southampton, the son of the late William F. and Julia (Weinclawski) Berkoski. He was the owner and operator of Berkoski Ice in Southampton for many years, prior to his retirement. Always mechanically inclined, Mr. Berkoski owned a gas station in Bridgehampton and later a refrigeration repair business before founding Berkoski Ice.
In his youth, Mr. Berkoski was a potato farmer, where he developed a lifelong love of tractors, especially John Deere.
He was a past member of the Bridgehampton Fire Department and enjoyed being involved with his brother, and later his son, Bill Jr., racing stock cars at Riverhead Raceway.
Mr. Berkoski is survived by his wife, Dorothy C. Berkoski of Byron; his children, Catherine (James) Glazier of Byron, and Alan Berkoski of Manhattan; grandchildren, Jennifer (Michael) Caruso, Amanda (Eric) Frantzen, Lisa (Robert) Graziano, Michael (Virginia) Glazier, Kristin Glazier, Lindsey Glazier, Bryan Glazier; great-grandchildren, Tessa and Eleanor Caruso, Natalie and Charlotte Frantzen; brothers, John (Joan) Berkoski of Bridgehampton, Raymond (Margaret) Berkoski of Hampton Bays, and Arthur (Helen) Berkoski of Florida; and a sister, Celia (Robert) Robertson. Also surviving are his God-family, Ray (Olga) Berkoski and their son, Ray III of Arizona; and several nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by a son, William A. Berkoski Jr., and daughter-in-law, Teresa F. Berkoski.
A private funeral Mass will be held at Our Lady of Poland in Southampton on a date to be determined. Burial will be in Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary Cemetery, Southampton. Funeral arrangements were under the direction of the H.E. Turner & Co. Funeral Home in Bergen. Condolences may be left at bataviafuneralhomes.com.
Memorial donations may be made to the Coalition for Women’s Cancers, c/o Southampton Hospital Foundation, 240 Meeting House Lane, Southampton, NY 11968-5090 (Please make check payable to Southampton Hospital Foundation and include CWC on the memo line).