Frank A. Almeraz, Electrician

Frank A. Almeraz of Springs was a union-trained electrician who built his own business from the ground up to support his family and was proud of having worked on several high-profile projects on the South Fork. He died on Jan. 9 at the age of 68 at Stony Brook Hospital after experiencing complications from a medical procedure.

Mr. Almeraz was born on Aug. 25, 1947, in Manhattan, but he moved to East Hampton when he was 2 or 3 years old with his parents, Tomas Almeraz and Gladys Griffin Almeraz, when his father was offered a job at the Schwenk Dairy. He grew up on Miller Terrace in East Hampton, graduated from East Hampton High School in 1966, and soon joined the local chapter of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, with which he received certification as an electrician.

He struck out on his own in 1974. Over the years, he worked on several big projects, including Gurney’s Inn, Gosman’s restaurant, and the Beachcomber Resort, all in Montauk. He was an active member of the Suffolk County Electrical Contractors Association.

Mr. Almeraz was a gardener who particularly liked growing vegetables, his family said. He was known to bring tomatoes whenever he visited a friend during the growing season. Mr. Almeraz also loved fishing, clamming, and anything having to do with the water. Although he was not a military veteran, he enjoyed the company of friends who were members of the American Legion, and he also had many friends in the business community.

His eldest daughter, Lisa Matz of Springs, described him as a family man. “He always took care of his children and loved his grandchildren and loved being a part of what they were doing,” Ms. Matz said. “He was somebody you could call upon if you were broken down or needed an ear. He was always willing to put down what he was doing to help somebody else.”

Mr. Almeraz married Ginny Bennett in 1966; they were divorced after 13 years. In 1987, he married Mary McClinton. She died in 2009.

In addition to Ms. Matz, Mr. Almeraz is survived by two children from his second marriage, Tomas Almeraz of Virginia Beach, Va., and Michelle O’Connel of Mooresville, N.C. He also is survived by two brothers, John Alan Almeraz of New Rochelle, N.Y., and Robert Almeraz of Hampton Bays, and five grandchildren.

A prayer service was conducted by the Rev. Manuel Zuzarto of St. Andrew’s Catholic Church in Sag Harbor at the Yardley and Pino Funeral Home in East Hampton on Jan. 12. Mr. Alvarez’s ashes, along with those of his late wife, will be scattered in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Hawaii in January. Ms. Matz wrote that Mr. and Mrs. Alvarez “always wanted to go to Hawaii, but never did.”

Memorial donations have been suggested to the Clamshell Foundation, an East Hampton nonprofit organization, for which more information can be found at clamshellfoundation.org.