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A black belt, businessman, pilot and Southampton Town Planning Board member, William A. Berkoski Jr., who was well-known throughout the community for his good deeds, died at his home Tuesday night of an apparent heart attack. He was 56.
Mr. Berkoski, whom friends and family called “Bill” or “Billy,” lived in Water Mill and was the owner and operator of Southampton Village-based Berkoski Enterprises, which primarily sells ice and fuel oil.
He is survived by his wife, Michele, and three daughters, Jennifer Caruso, Amanda Frantzen and Lisa Berkoski, according to Kelly Dondero, the office manager at Berkoski Enterprises. He is also survived by his parents, William and Dorothy Berkoski, and a brother, Allan Berkoski, all of whom live in Arizona, and a sister, whose name wasn’t immediately available.
Ms. Dondero said that Mr. Berkoski was at home Tuesday night and went to lie down to rest because he felt winded. She said his wife later found him unresponsive.
Southampton Ambulance responded to the home at about 8 p.m., at which time they administered CPR. They were unable to resuscitate Mr. Berkoski.
Ms. Dondero said the family did not wish to speak about Mr. Berkoski’s death on Wednesday morning.
News of Mr. Berkoski’s death left community members shocked and saddened.
James Nelan, a resident of Southampton Village, said he was a close friend of Mr. Beroski and was with his wife at the hospital after Mr. Berkoski was admitted on Tuesday night. Both men worked as instructors at the Aikenkai Shotokan Karate Federation karate studio. Mr. Nelan said Mr. Berkoski felt ill after training at the studio on Tuesday night.
He described Mr. Berkoski as a man with a strong work ethic. “He was like a brother,” he said. “He has a natural brother who lives in Arizona with his parents, but those of us in karate, it’s like a brotherhood.”
Mr. Berkoski’s contributions to the community were many, Mr. Nelan said. He volunteered in the Southampton Fire Department and supported breast cancer fundraising efforts.
Mr. Nelan said he and Mr. Berkoski had a strong friendship—they would often socialize outside of the karate studio at dinners with their wives.
“Bill was always generous, always the first one to grab his wallet and try to pay the bill, and would not let anyone pay the bill,” he said. “He had the nicest smile. He could tell you stories about everything. He was a master at so many things.”
Mr. Berkoski led an eclectic life, wearing different hats and taking on diverse roles, Mr. Nelan said. He said Mr. Berkoski loved to fly and had a knack for mechanical things. He was a licensed electrician and plumber. He had recently fully restored his high school car, a 1969 Chevrolet Camaro, into “perfect condition,” he said. He loved driving his Harley-Davidson motorcycle. He could drive most kinds of trucks and enjoyed racing cars in Riverhead.
“He loved to drive fast,” Mr. Nelan said.
Other community members also remembered his dedication and generosity to the community.
Planning Board Chairman Dennis Finnerty said Mr. Berkosksi would open his doors to let the community take ice from his warehouse at no charge during power outages and hurricanes.
“I mean, if you can picture in situations where most businesses would price gouge, he would go the opposite,” Mr. Finnerty said. “Any major hurricane or power outage, where you’d have widespread power outages for days, Bill was known to just open his warehouse. And the local people knew if you were out of ice you could go to Berkoski and load up.”
Southampton Village Mayor Mark Epley said Mr. Berkoski and his drivers drove all night in company trucks last year to Miami to deliver supplies for doctors going to Haiti. “And he never thought twice about something like that,” Mr. Epley said. “That’s just kind of the guy he was. He will be sorely missed.”
Members of the Planning Board were devastated Wednesday morning, Mr. Finnerty said. Mr. Berkoski offered a “remarkable intellect” on the board and had a good grasp on the historical perspective of Southampton Town. He described Mr. Berkoski as a devoted family man.
“You could almost characterize him as a renaissance man,” he said. “From business and community service, to his passion for martial arts and for his family. He was very much a family man. You couldn’t characterize a more complete person and sort of an inspiration for other people to model themselves after.”
Visitation will be held Sunday, March 20, from 2 to 4 p.m. and 7 to 9 p.m. at O’Connell Funeral Home in Southampton. A funeral Mass will take place Monday, March 21, at 10 a.m. at Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary Roman Catholic Church in Southampton.
Rohma Abbas on Mar 17, 2011