Leslie (Les) Storyk, 94, of Sarasota, Fla.
NOV. 4, 1923 - MARCH 23, 2018
SARASOTA, FLA.
» Leslie (Les) Storyk, 94, passed away peacefully with his immediate family at his side on March 23, 2018, in Sarasota, Fla.
He was born in Brooklyn, N.Y., on Nov. 4, 1923, to the late Morris and Mini Storyk. Les and his late wife of nearly 70 years, Ruth, were originally residents of the Plantation Golf and Country Club in Venice, arriving in 1983 from Woodstock, N.Y. Les and Ruth remained in Venice as full-time and parttime winter residents until 2009, when they became members of the Glenridge Community in Sarasota.
Les graduated from New York University and served in the U.S. Marine Corps during World War II.
In 1949, he reopened the New York office of Frank Fehr & Co., London, a global merchant trading company established in 1857. The privately owned international commodity firm had been closed during World War II. Les was continuously associated with the Fehr companies for nearly 70 years. Besides importing and exporting agricultural and industrial raw materials, Fehr established warehouses in the USA, distributing a wide range of industrial hardware and components. In 1975, he built Fehr’s headquarters in Saugerties, N.Y., near his Woodstock, N.Y., residence. He retired as CEO in 1986, but served as chairman until his death.
Les traveled worldwide, often with his wife, Ruth, sourcing products and materials, and was a frequent visitor to Europe, Japan, China, Turkey, the South Pacific and such out-of-theway places as Papua New Guinea, Sri Lanka, Ivory Coast, and many other African and South American destinations. He understood globalization decades before it became a popular conversation.
He was president of the American Institute for International Steel; served on the board of the New York Cocoa Exchange; and was elected in 1977 as the first American member of the Baltic Exchange in London. He enjoyed golf and was a longtime member of the Woodstock Country Club.
With Ruth, he endowed the Robert Gilbert Storyk Charitable Foundation in memory of their son, Bob, and generously supported local charities.
Les is survived by son, John, an internationally known architect and recording studio designer, John’s wife Beth WaltersStoryk, president of WSDG in Highland, N.Y.,; and grandchildren, Nadine Curtis and her son, his greatgrandson, Pixley Curtis of Mill Valley Calif.; Keaton Thomas Wright, Keaton’s wife Emma, their son and his great-grandson, Alister of New Hill, N.C.; Corbett Robert Storyk of Durham, N.C.; and Elisa Belle Storyk of Atlanta, Ga.; as well as Les and Ruth’s devoted friend of over 75 years, Richard Sussman of Palm Beach, Fla.
Les loved music and served on the board of the Venice, Fla., Symphony; was very active in both the Byrdcliffe and Maverick Center activities; was a New York Yankees baseball fan; an avid reader as well as a gracious host, loving husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather. Known for his wide world knowledge and a believer in loyalty, honesty, and integrity, he lived a full interesting life and will be sorely missed and remembered fondly.