Pete DeCastro, 80, Well-Known Builder

Pete DeCastro of Springs, a carpenter and builder who was a descendant of Sag Harbor fishermen and whalers, died at home of cancer on Friday evening. He was 80. 

Born at Southampton Hospital to Astrid and Gordon DeCastro on Sept. 16, 1935, Pete DeCastro, whose given name was Basil Gordon DeCastro, grew up on Bay Street in Sag Harbor and graduated from Pierson High School with the class of 1953. He attended Farmingdale Agricultural and Technical College from 1955 through 1957 and served for several years in the National Guard. 

After settling in Springs, Mr. DeCastro set up Pete DeCastro Building, which was responsible for the construction of 50 to 60 houses in this area. He continued working throughout his life, donating his building skills as he got older to Habitat for Humanity and to the renovation of Christ Episcopal Church in Sag Harbor.

When not on a building project, Mr. DeCastro could be seen excavating on his John Deere tractor. Boating was a favorite pastime, and he was known to ply the waters around the Bay Point inlet in Sag Harbor on his Achilles raft or to motor around Gardiner’s Bay in his Viking sport-fishing boat, September Song.

 Mr. DeCastro was married first to the former Margaret Helmdag, who died, as did their daughter, Barbara Margaret DeCastro. He later married the former Dale Corwin Grathwohl, who survives. The couple spent winters in Florida, on Marco Island, and Mr. DeCastro enjoyed taking his 1952 Chevrolet pickup truck to car shows there.

In addition to his wife, Mr. DeCastro is survived by a son, James DeCastro of Delray Beach, Fla., and by one grandchild and one great-grandchild. He also is survived by members of his wife’s family: Laurie Austin of Turner, Me., and Ned Grathwohl and Glen Grathwohl, both of Cutchogue, as well as seven grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. Three sisters, Jane Cahill of Holbrook, Diane Scholtz of Naples, Fla., and Nancy Merrit of Sag Harbor, also survive.

Mr. DeCastro was buried on Tuesday in Oakland Cemetery in Sag Harbor after a funeral Mass at Christ Church.  Donations in his memory have been suggested to East End Hospice, P.O. Box 1048, Westhampton Beach 11978.