SOUTHAMPTON, N.Y. — A pilot who died when his plane crashed in East Hampton will be laid to rest this week.
Visitation for Kent Feuerring will be held on Wednesday from 4 p.m. until 8 p.m. at the Brockett Funeral Home, located at 203 Hampton Road in Southampton. Funeral services will be held at the Old Whaler's Church, located at 44 Union Street in Sag Harbor, on Thursday at 1 p.m.
A shocked and devastated community is mourning Feurring, 57, of Sagaponack, who died Thursday.
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On social media, many found solace in the fact that Ferring died doing what he loved most – flying.
“He's always supported me in my photography and my filmmaking. Always,” said Bryan Downey. “Kent Feuerring died doing what he loved to do. Flying. RIP, my friend. Now you have your wings.”
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“I met through a customer about 10 years ago and got to know him even better working at East Hampton Airport for the past five years where we quickly became aviation buddies,” said Bernadette Ruggiero. “Kent had a very unique presence about him and was one of those people who never let you feel less than happy when you met him. He had such a passion for the airport and flying and he will leave an immeasurable void between us. his son and all who were close to him.”
His ex-wife Stacey Pierce told Patch: “He lived his best life.”
“Kent took care of himself and took care of a lot of people, especially if they were in need,” she said. “He was a go-getter. He was truly loved by the town – and Sag Harbor has suffered a tremendous loss.”
His friend Sidney Brito added: “Kent was a very warm person, kind and always had something sincere to say to me every time we met. I could feel and see the sincerity and kindness in his eyes every time we spoke. Very sad loss for his family and friends.”
Tanya Malott shared her memories: “Everyone will tell you that Kent always had a smile on his face. It's true, he was always smiling, laughing and stopping to chat with the dozens of people he ran into in a day,” she said. “He was always at Sagtown Coffee and sometimes we called him the mayor of Sag Harbor.”
Malott said she got to know Feuerring better during the years when their children were high school friends at Ross School.
“We went to soccer and basketball games together, and we took a trip to Costa Rica with our boys for M-term. Our kids always slept over at each other's houses after a party, most of the time at Kent's because he had fun And because he was a good, responsible parent we all trusted. I loved the way he empowered the kids. He was a great leader and organizer himself who had such a gentle way of teaching our kids as if they were smart young adults who could to handle a lot of responsibility.”
He added: “I love that my son reached out to him after college for filmmaking advice and Kent took him to a nice dinner to share his knowledge. I'd never even heard of that until now. Kent was so , always quietly offering to help people, always grateful for the friendship and support of others.”
In their last conversation a month ago, they ran into each other in Sagtown and ended up laughing and chatting for an hour, Malott said.
“Whatever else he was there to do, he just left, to talk to a friend. I had moved away in April so it felt like we had some time to do… Kent was a very dear man who was loved by a LOT of people. I've noticed that everyone has a story about seeing Kent or just talking to him, because he was—a kind and generous man who made time for everyone. His loss at Sag Harbor will be deeply felt for a long time.”
Others shared photos of a man whose life was full of love and friends and his adored son, Jonas.
Alex Lawson, a good friend of Feuerring's son Jonas in high school — they both love surfing and shooting video, Feuerring's field of expertise — shared memories of Feuerring's filmmaking advice, which his mother also mentioned.
“That was the last time I saw Kent, around December, and I wanted advice on getting into the film industry,” Lawson said. “He took me out to dinner at Sen — and paid for it — and gave me all the knowledge he had to offer. He even invited me to one of his sets. He was a very generous man. He's also been so kind and welcoming when we've come to hang out at his house over the years.”
According to East Hampton Town Police Chief Michael Sarlo, the plane crash occurred off Springy Banks Road at the water's edge of Three Mile Harbor at approximately 12:33 p.m. the plane, dead, he said.
Witnesses reported seeing what appeared to be a wing that broke off the fuselage before the aircraft plunged downward into the water, police said.
EHTPD detectives secured the scene, and the Federal Aviation Administration, National Transportation Safety Board and Suffolk Medical Examiner's office are responding to further investigate the “tragic crash,” Charlo said.
Foering was president of the East Hampton Aviation Association—a position fitting for a man who loved nothing more than soaring through the blue skies.
According to its website, the East Hampton Aviation Association was formed “to represent the interests of local general aviation and historic airplane enthusiasts, including pilots, owners and operators of aircraft at the East Hampton Airport.”
“Fly with the angels, my friend,” Malott wrote. “We miss you here and you remind me to live and love each day like there's no tomorrow. Your life brought so many smiles and so much joy. Rest in peace.”
Anyone with additional information or who may have witnessed the crash is asked to contact East Hampton Town Police detectives at 631-537-7575.
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