Robert Drew Horyn

Robert Drew Horyn, 63, of Nantucket passed away suddenly and unexpectedly at Boston’s Massachusetts General Hospital on March 17, 2018.

Rob was born May 12, 1954 in Columbus, Ohio, a son of Gene and Nancy Horyn. Rob attended high school and Ashland College in Ohio where he was a record-breaking swimmer before moving to Nantucket, where he’d fallen for the island’s charm while living with his family in their summer home throughout his childhood. While on Nantucket, Rob met the love of his life, Kim (Becker), who was also coincidentally from Ohio, and they moved together to Texas where Kim was starting a career as a high school teacher. After a few years of living in Texas, they knew they were ready to move on, and when Kim asked Rob where he would like to live next, his response without hesitation was Nantucket. They married in Kim’s childhood home in Struthers, Ohio on June 18, 1983 and relocated to the island where Rob founded Four Seasons Painting and Construction, his well-respected 40-year contracting and property management business that Rob built to be synonymous with quality, reliability, and model customer service.

Rob was full of life – he loved cooking, dancing, and inviting friends over for dinners. His famous pig roasts were requested by various groups around the island, for which he either volunteered or refused payment, requesting a donation to Autism Speaks instead. He enjoyed working in his garden, surfcasting, bodysurfing, swimming in the ocean and the community pool, digging for clams and mussels, evening sunsets on the beach, and everything else Nantucket has to offer. He was an active and loved member of the community, and passionately gave of his time, talent, and resources to support local organizations. He was a strong advocate for Special Olympics and Nantucket STAR, a volunteer for Autism Speaks, an avid participant in Swim Across America, an assistant coach for Nantucket’s youth travel soccer team, a member of the Maddequet Admiralty Association, and a former Rotarian. Rob was an incredibly loving husband of Kim and the most inspirational and caring father of his children Rachel of Harwich, Katherine of Nantucket, and Will of New York City. Rob and Kim traveled as often as they could, both domestically and internationally. He valued every moment of life and treated all people with respect, sincerity, and appreciation. Rob knew no stranger – every interaction was genuine, and he never forgot a person’s name. Rob will always be remembered for his wonderful smile, his generous personality, and his dual love for making others laugh as well as a healthy bit of mischief.

Rob is predeceased by Gene and Nancy Horyn, and his mother-in-law Margy Becker. In addition to his wife and children, Rob is survived by his sister Cathy Horyn and nephew Jacob Ogden (Virginia), father-in-law Dan Becker (Dottie Melody), and sisters-in-law Kandace (David) Hagendorn, Kelly Becker (Fred Horvath), Kate Becker (Darell Hammond), one brother-in-law Daniel (Beth) Becker, and an additional six nieces and nephews.

A service for Rob will be held at 11AM on Saturday, March 24 at the First Congregational Church, 62 Centre St., Nantucket, MA 02554, and a celebration of Rob’s life will follow at Faregrounds restaurant. In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to Swim Across America – Nantucket, P.O. Box 3271, Nantucket, MA, 02584, a non-profit organization that Rob participated in and avidly supported.