Riverhead businessman Irwin Garsten died last night at his home in Florida following a heart attack. He was 86 years old.
Garsten was the founder and owner of Apple Honda on Route 58 on Riverhead. He owned and operated auto dealerships in Riverhead since 1959.
Though he lived in Shoreham, Garsten was deeply involved in the Riverhead community. He was a longtime member and past president of Riverhead Rotary. He was also past president of the Riverhead Chamber of Commerce, chairman of the board of Central Suffolk Hospital and vice chairman of the Peconic Bay Medical Center Foundation. He served on the board of the Eastern Suffolk School of Music (which was merged into the East End Arts and Humanities Council and on the board of United Way of Long Island. He was also a past director of Boys Scouts of America, Peconic District. He is being honored by the North Fork Breast Health Coalition at the organizations gala this spring.
It’s important for anyone in business to give back to the community, Garsten said in a November 2016 interview.
“That’s how you make your living and that’s where you make your living,” he said.
Garsten remained a hands-on owner. He wintered in Florida but kept in touch with his staff at the dealership every day. When he was home on Long Island, he was at the dealership four days a week for several hours a day.
“He was emailing us at 6:30 last night, sending instructions,” said executive assistant Linda Hulse this afternoon.
“It’s very sad around here today.”
Garsten had bounced back from health issues encountered about a decade ago and said in told RiverheadLOCAL in November he had no intention of retiring, despite having groomed a capable successor in his son, Bill Fields, who is now Apple’s general manager and dealer of record.
Garsten was born in Brooklyn on April 23, 1930. After graduating from James Madison High School in Brooklyn he attended New York University, where he earned a degree in business and marketing.
He was a Korean War-era U.S. Army veteran.
Garsten was a past chairman of the Greater New York Automobile Dealers Association and a past committeeman of the N.Y. State Small Business Administration.
He is survived by his wife of nearly 45 years, Flora, and by his children, Andrew Garsten, Carol Garsten, Bradley Garsten, Patricia Pedersen, Mary Judge and William Fields. He is also survived by eight grandchildren and one great-grandchild. He was predeceased by a grandchild.
The family will receive visitors on Saturday, Feb. 11, from 1 to 4 p.m. at Tuthill-Mangano Funeral Home, 406 E. Main St., Riverhead.
A funeral service will take place at Temple Israel Riverhead Sunday at 11 a.m.
Editor’s note: This article has been amended with updated information about visitation and funeral arrangements.
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