John C. Specht, a longtime local bayman who also worked as a carpenter, painter, and groundskeeper, died on Oct. 4 at Stony Brook Southampton Hospital at the age of 78. The Amagansett resident had been diagnosed with lung cancer five years ago.
Mr. Specht, who was known as Jack, was born in Roslyn on July 13, 1941, to Paul Specht and Ida Lester. The family moved to Amagansett when he was a toddler, and he attended the Amagansett School and East Hampton High School. At the age of 16, having finished the 10th grade, he left school to help support his family as a bayman.
Later in life, Mr. Specht took care of several estates and properties in East Hampton and Amagansett, including the Mill Garth Bed and Breakfast, Balasses Antiques, the Phillip Taylor house, and the 1770 House.
He “taught his children the value of hard work, often bringing them along [and] putting hammers and brushes in hand,” they wrote.
Their father loved music, nature, and working with his hands, they said. He could often be found singing while building birdhouses or whistling while he worked. He left Long Island just once in his life, about eight years ago, to visit the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville with his longtime partner, whose name the family did not know.
Mr. Specht leaves seven children, none of whom wanted their names in the paper, 14 grandchildren, and one great-grandchild. He was cremated; services were private.