Benedict S. Andruski of Southold died on Thursday, July 14, 2016 at Eastern Long Island Hospital. The lifelong North Fork resident was 71 years old.
Fondly known as “Geke,” he was born in Greenport on May 4, 1945 to Benedict and Helen (Harris) Andruski. He attended Mattituck schools and was a graduate of Southold High School.
Following his graduation, he served in the United States Navy for nearly four years.
In 1974, he married the former Melissa Stanton at Our Lady of Ostrabrama R.C. Church in Cutchogue and together they made their home in Southold.
Geke had worked through the years at Grumman and Agway, as a bartender at Fisherman’s Rest and for the Cutchogue Park District where he was credited in rehabilitating the building and grounds of the Pequash Park.
He maintained his own landscaping business for many years, in addition to beinga bayman and a ferry boat captain for Plum Island. More recently, he was a “houseman” for the Cutchogue Fire Department.
Geke was a member of the Griswold Terry Glover Post #803 in Southold and a volunteer with the Southold Fire Department.
In his free time, he enjoyed tending to his gardens and tinkering around home.
He is survived by his wife Melissa; two children Nathan and Janessa both of Southold, two sisters Althea Sidor of Mattituck and Laurie Kujawski of Gloucester, Virginia and two grandchildren Isadora Andruski and Tyler Burner.
The family will receive friends on Monday, July 18 from 4 to 8 p.m. at DeFriest-Grattan Funeral Home in Southold. Southold Fire Department will hold services at 7 p.m. Religious services will be held on Tuesday, July 19 at 11 a.m. at DeFriest-Grattan Funeral Home with Father Mariusz Gorazd officiating.
In lieu of flowers, donations to the Southold Fire Department Rescue Squad, P.O. Box 1469, Southold, NY 11971 would be appreciated.
