In describing her father, Kevin Francis Konzet, Catherine Varley returned several times to the word "selfless." "He really cared for others, especially his close friends and family," Ms. Varley said. "He did a lot for the people in his life." That included sharing his love of the water and outdoors with his family, supporting his co-workers in their careers, and moving home to Springs to help care for his father in his final illness.
"He always had a smile on his face," Ms. Varley said. "He brought a lot of happiness to everyone in his life with his easy jokes and conversation."
Mr. Konzet died of a heart attack last Thursday at home in Cornelius, N.C. He was 68.
The family will receive visitors Thursday from 3 to 5 p.m. at the Yardley and Pino Funeral Home in East Hampton. A funeral Mass will be said Friday at 11 a.m. at Most Holy Trinity Catholic Church here, with burial to follow at the church cemetery on Cedar Street. The Rev. Ryan Creamer will officiate.
Mr. Konzet was born in Great Neck on March 31, 1953, to Frank Konzet and the former Marilyn Rogers. He grew up there, graduating from Great Neck High School before going on to the State University at Oneonta, where he earned a degree in business finance.
He had a 30-year career in the banking and mortgage industry, most recently with Amalgamated Bank. "He really cared about the people he worked with and was always trying to help them succeed. It gave him a lot of joy," his daughter said. "He would always tell me, 'Make sure you love what you do,' and he really did love what he did."
Mr. Konzet lived in Colorado and in the Washington, D.C., area as a younger man and in the late 1980s built a house in Springs, where his parents were living at the time. He lived there full time until around 2006, when he began to spend part of his time in New York City. He moved back to Springs year round to care for his father, and then moved to the city before relocating recently to North Carolina to be closer to his daughter.
He was an enthusiastic fisherman and boater, and spent lots of time on the water, taking his daughter and her cousins out on his boat in East Hampton when they were younger, and later passing on his love of the water to his grandchildren.
He kept a boat on Lake Norman in North Carolina and almost every weekend went tubing, swimming, and exploring with his daughter, her husband, Piers, and his grandchildren. He was very close to his son-in-law, and "his grandchildren absolutely adored him," Ms. Varley said.
"He appreciated the beauty of nature, a beautiful sunset, a beautiful view on the water," his daughter said. "And he was always showing up with good food to put on the grill. We have lots of happy memories of barbecuing with the family and watching sunsets."
Mr. Konzet was "a handy guy," she said, and was always working on his house or doing a project. "He could fix anything and build anything."
In addition to his daughter and her husband, who live in Charlotte, N.C., he is survived by his twin sister, Kathy Konzet of Springs, and three other sisters, Karen Alogna of Oyster Bay, Korine Konzet of Springs, and Keri Dayton of East Hampton. He leaves three grandchildren, Eleanor, Margaret, and Arthur Varley.
Mr. Konzet was a longtime supporter of St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, and a fund has been set up in his memory. Donations can be directed to the hospital at 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis Tenn. 38105, with the account number 22680453.
