The story of Leo Kaytes: ‘Service Above Self’

Editor’ note: Leo Kaytes Sr. was 91 years old when he died on Jan. 10, 2025, at St. Anthony Community Hospital.

His family announced this week the creation of the Leo Kaytes Scholarship program, which will award a $5,000 academic scholarship and a $5,000 scholarship for a student going to a trade school. (A story elsewhere on this page provides the details.)

What follows, then, is an appreciation for whom the scholarships are named.

Leo Kaytes began selling Fords in Warwick in the spring of 1978.

In the years that followed, Kaytes also found time to help build a church in the Village of Florida.

He made sure that the Winslow Therapeutic Riding Center in Warwick, whose motto is “Healing with Horses,” found its financial footing.

He championed the Backpack Snack Attack program, an effort that continues to this day so that kids in need have something nutritious to eat on the weekends when they are not in school.

He, along with the entertainer Dick Wells, Warwick Supervisor Mike Sweeton and Bill Iurato of Peck’s Wine & Spirits, began a tradition of performing “The Night Before Christmas” on Christmas Eve across the airways of radio station WTBG.

At his Ford dealership, he mentored a job applicant, down on her luck, so that she could aspire to much more than someone who would wash cars for a living.

Through his efforts, Leo Kaytes embodied the watch words of Rotary International: “Service Above Self.”

He and his wife Gladys of nearly 70 years raised a family of five.

And he is one of the people who have created the community that is Warwick.

The grocer’s son

In the obituary for their father, Leo’s children began by describing their dad as a storyteller.

He would share stories with his five children about his father, Elias, a Syrian immigrant who came to Patterson, N.J., to open a grocery store with his wife Adla, and to raise a family.

People from the neighborhood would come to the store to talk with Elias, to seek his advice, his wisdom, Leo’s daughter Adele Van Haste recalled.

Times were hard, but Elias always made sure his customers went home with something to eat. If Elias kept a ledger, it had more to do with inventory than who owed what.

But that left an impression on the grocer’s son.

‘His legacy lives on’

Over the years, Leo Kaytes appeared perhaps more than 100 times on the pages of The Warwick Advertiser for his contributions to the community:

But what those stories failed to do was show what compelled Leo Kaytes Sr. to do these things for his community. The why of things.

However, in interviews with more than a dozen people, a sense of the man emerges. Here’s what they had to say.

Michael Newhard, Village of Warwick mayor and businessman:

“Leo, in my mind, was synonymous with community and generosity. I met Leo through his ‘Band of Brothers,’ or better known as our local ‘Rat Pack,’ which consisted of Ed Klein, Dick Wells and himself. This was an amazing trio of talent.

“I truly understand their friendship, their camaraderie. It was generational but also about a deep desire to improve the place they lived. I imagine the three of them have now been reunited – can Heaven handle it!

“Leo’s commitment to Warwick was apparent through his focus on his family, his business and his work with the Warwick Rotary. The Rotary grew through his leadership and importantly his son, Leo Kaytes Jr., followed in his father’s light.

“Leo would from time to time call my office whether offering sage advice, seeking information or talking little league baseball – my son and his grandson played on the same team. Those moments I remember and cherish.”

Roger Gavan, longtime reporter and photographer for The Warwick Advertiser:

“Although Leo Kaytes and I had a professional relationship as a result of my published articles and hospital press releases, we also developed a friendship and called each other often about our shared political views and automotive backgrounds.

“Leo usually wintered on the Florida Gulf Coast as did a friend of mine who told me he may have little time to live with his serious cancer.

“Since Leo had been successfully treating his own leukemia with chemotherapy, I asked him if he would call my friend to offer him some encouragement.

“Leo immediately agreed and called him that day. And since they both knew the same people in the car business and wintered in the same Gulf Coast area, they became fast friends.

“My friend passed away, but he told me that he very much appreciated the time spent with Leo.

“I knew it was just a typical response whenever someone asked Leo for help.”

Suzyn Barron, president of the Warwick Valley Humane Society:

“Leo Sr. has left a legacy of honesty, integrity and love for family, friends and our community for all time.”

Peter Lyons Hall, business and communications consultant:

“Leo Kaytes Sr. had always been a quiet individual, doing things for people throughout the community without seeking any notoriety or recognition. It was enough for him to discover someone in need and figuring out how to help that person. He was devoted to Winslow Therapeutic, one of his favorite charities, where he served on the board. He taught his son, Leo, about the importance of giving to others, and he has followed in his father’s footsteps with many examples of community dedication to organizations (like the Warwick Rotary) and to initiatives, like the local veterans.”

Mike Sweeton, longtime Warwick Town Supervisor and member of the Warwick Rotary Club.

“Leo was an amazing guy.

“He was soft-spoken but tenacious when he got behind a cause or something he believed in. He was very much behind the scenes. But he knew where he wanted to go and had the patience to get there.”

Father George Kervorkian, of St. Ignatius Antiochian Orthodox Church in the Village of Florida:

“Leo had three maxims: Love of God, love of family, love for every human being he encountered.

“Leo also was humble,” Kervorkian said. “But he understood God’s message that to be humble is to be great. That message, that strength, came from his parents and his wife, Gladys.”

Kervorkian recalled a conversation he and Leo had in 2007 or so when they were renting at what had been St. Edward’s R.C. Church in the Village of Florida as their place of worship. At the time, the congregation consisted of about 10 families, some who traveled great distances to pray. “To be an Orthodox Christian means you have to travel,” Kervorkian said.

The congregation couldn’t afford to buy the building from the Catholic Church.

“But I asked Leo ‘What do you think?’” the priest recalled.

In 2011, St. Edward’s R.C. Church was purchased and has since become St. Ignatius Antiochian Orthodox Church, which now serves as many as 45 families from Warwick, Milford, Pa., Mahwah, N.J., and elsewhere each Sunday and every holy occasion.

“He had a good ear and eye for what would go well and what would not,” Kervorkian said. “But always his faith was strong.”

Wayne Patterson, the current Rotary District 7210 Mental Health Initiative Chair and past President Warwick Valley Rotary Club (2011-12):

“When I was approved as a member of Warwick Valley Rotary Club 19 years ago, its leadership was larger than life. Local bankers, realtors, homemakers, insurance brokers, doctors, dentists, etc., but there was this one local car dealership owner who stood out from the rest and his name was Leo Kaytes Sr. Not only was his name plastered on billboards, radio, TV and local papers marketing his car dealership brand, but I came to find out his name could be found throughout the community with Winslow Therapeutic Riding Center, St. Anthony Community Hospital, Garden of the Child, Warwick Valley Humane Society and countless other organizations, helping those through good and bad times.

“While I knew nothing about Rotary, I was drawn to the ‘Service Above Self’ concept after watching Leo Sr., who seemed to have everything (in his personal life and business), give his time, energy and resources that would have a significant effect on people he did not even know.

“One day Leo asked me. ‘Let’s do a presentation at a couple of our Rotary lunches, showing club members how to better communicate with the local community and businesses, helping them to understand what Rotary is and does locally.

“You could not say ‘no’ to Leo.

“I cannot say enough about the man with the divine significance of putting ‘Service Above Self’ while helping numerous generations become better human beings. Thank you, Leo.”

Edward M. Lynch , President & CEO, Lynch Wealth Strategies, Inc.:

“Leo Kaytes Sr. and I first met when I became a member of Warwick Valley Rotary Club in 2006. As Leo Sr. was one of the founding members of this Club, he was among several members who helped acclimate me to various leadership roles and the many charitable works of this fine community service organization. Even before I retired from my Army Reserve Officer career (in 2011), Leo Sr. had me working on the Board of Directors at Winslow Therapeutic Riding Center, as well as the Rotary Club.

“I saw that Leo Sr. surrounded himself with strong, capable volunteer leaders, and it was enticing to become a part of that.

“I learned a great deal from Leo Sr. about community service.

“He demonstrated generosity, service to others and was a strong connector of people. He had this knack for identifying others who would support his causes. You might say, he was a strong recruiter of service volunteers. By his example, he attracted others with a like-minded passion to serve this community.

“His legacy lives on here.”

Sue Ferro, executive director of Winslow Therapeutic Riding Center:

“Leo was a true believer in what we were doing and was very involved. He and Gladys always helped. “

About ten years ago, Winslow faced a grave financial crisis, Ferro said. “Leo made a promise,” Ferro said, “to help.”

He came to the office every day, took phone calls when Ferro said she was overwhelmed with the details. He promised to help the non-profit keep above water. “He said he would stay until we financially sound.”

Even when that happened, Leo never left.

“He was a great man. You can’t say that about a lot of people. He was very giving and yet he also was very humble. Truly, a great man.”