Hearts Broken As Community Mourns A Friend

SOUTHOLD, NY — Hearts were broken in Southold as word spread that Stanley J. Zurek, Sr., affectionately known as Stosh, died on Tuesday, April 25.

He was 80 years old.

Zurek, who lived in Peconic, was a familiar and beloved presence at the Southold Town transfer station's reuse center on Cox Lane in Cutchogue, greeting visitors with a smile and a laugh, sharing stories and memories.

He was a member of the Southold Fire Department and an honorary member of the Greenport Fire Department.

Visitation will be held at the Coster Heppner Funeral Home, located at 32470 Main Road in Cutchogue, on Thursday April 27 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. and 7 to 9 p.m. at the funeral home. Firematic services will take place at 7:30 p.m.

A funeral mass will be held Friday at 12 p.m. at Our Lady of Ostrabrama Church in Cutchogue, with burial to follow at Sacred Heart Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made to East End Hospice.

The community reflected on their loss Tuesday.

Dennis Lane, Zurek's co-worker at the reuse center, was saddened by the loss of his colleague and friend. "He used to say this all the time - 'You have to live life every day, because you never know'."

Diana Cook, who frequents the reuse center often, was heartbroken. "I'm at a loss for words. I looked forward to sitting and having my coffee with him every weekend. I'm going to miss our little chats. He had a heart of pure gold and I'll miss his laughter and friendship always."

Southold Town Supervisor Scott Russell paid tribute to Zurek Tuesday night: "I am deeply saddened. He was a great employee and an all around great guy. He was the type of person this town is unfortunately losing every day. There aren't too many people like him left, and we are all poorer for it."

A full obituary will follow.

Patch photo courtesy of Diana Cook.