Ward Mohrfeld

    Ward Mohrfeld, a longtime resident of Floyd Street in East Hampton, died on Aug. 12 at the Westhampton Care Center following cardiac surgery on July 27 at Stony Brook University Medical Center. He was 76 years old.

    Mr. Mohrfeld was born on Nov. 30, 1934, in Collingswood, N.J., to Howard Morris Mohrfeld and the former Anne Hamilton. After growing up in Larchmont, N.Y., he graduated from Phillips Academy in Andover, Mass., and from Princeton University in 1956 before spending six months in an Army Reserve program at Fort Dix, N.J.

    He worked for many years as an acquisitions editor for several book publishers, including Penguin Books, Henry Holt, and New American Library. After moving full time to East Hampton in the mid-’90s, Mr. Mohrfeld became a real estate broker at Allan M. Schneider.

    With his lifelong companion, Marilyn Abel, he explored East Hampton’s “byways and lore,” according to Ms. Abel, who added that Mr. Mohrfeld was captivated by East Hampton’s history, beginning with their house, which  they restored “as little as possible.”

    Mr. Mohrfeld frequently attended the Opera in HD broadcasts at Guild Hall and was often to be found in the East Hampton Library, where he fed his love of literature.

    “He was also extremely fond of bagels from Hampton Bagels,” Ms. Abel said, adding that he was “a great cook. His skill at seasoning was unsurpassed.”

    In addition to Ms. Abel of East Hampton, Mr. Mohrfeld is survived by a brother, Peter Mohrfeld of Pittsboro, N.C., and by a half sister, Gwyneth H. Bear of San Pedro, Calif.

    He was cremated. A gathering in his honor will be held at some point in September.