Gregory Copeland Masefield, the son of Harold Abbott and Lillian Thomas Masefield, passed away peacefully in his home on Thursday, Dec. 31, 2020. He was born on June 16, 1935, in Jackson Heights, Queens.
When Greg was eight years old, his parents bought a derelict stone house in Bellvale, a hamlet of Warwick, that had been built in 1782 and began restoring it.
This began Greg’s time in Warwick and the restoration of the house continued to be a labor of love for the rest of his life.
As he was growing up, he loved the frequent rides that he and his horse, “Blackout,” would take up and down the road, stopping to help neighboring farmers with their chores and enjoying a meal with them. He and his wife would later own horses and would ride together.
He also enjoyed water skiing on Greenwood Lake.
After attending St John’s Military Academy in Delafield, Wisconsin, and St. Lawrence University, Greg worked with civil engineers and surveyors in the construction of Sterling Forest Gardens in Tuxedo.
Greg married the love of his life, Frances “Perch” Bradner, in 1958 and they settled into the old stone house. After starting their family, Greg commuted to Manhattan for 35 years where he ended his career as Senior VP of National Sales for Advertising Age/Crain Communications.
During retirement he enjoyed working with his hands in building and restoring furniture. He was also an active member of the Warwick Historical Society and an avid outdoorsman who loved fishing, hunting, hiking and horseback riding with his family and friends.
He will be remembered for his ardent love of life, his eternal optimism and his unending craving to hear how you were doing and any thoughts or stories you might wish to share with him while sitting on his back porch under the wisteria arbor looking out at his fields.
Greg was predeceased by his wife, Perch, in 2011. He is survived by his three sons: Gregor (Amy), David (Dory) and Jamie; and four grandchildren: Haiden, Sawyer, Elsa and Owen; and one step grandchild, Jedediah Kistner-Morris.
In lieu of flowers please make donations in his name to Historical Society of the Town of Warwick, Box 353, Warwick, NY 10990.
The family will arrange a private celebration of life gathering later this year.
Arrangements are under the direction of Lazear-Smith & Vander Plaat Memorial Home, Warwick. To send condolences, please visit www.lsvpmemorialhome.com.