Seymour Robert Askin Jr.

He was husband to the late Helen-Mae Knafel, his wife of 57 years, and is survived by his son Peter Askin (Harriet Williams), daughter Nancy (Dana Westover), grand-daughter Julia , and his sister Susan Wolman of Baltimore, MD.

Son of Seymour and Mabel Askin, Sy Askin was born August 8, 1926 in New York City. He grew up there, and went to Columbia Grammar School. He was a graduate of Cornell University, and as an alumni was named Foremost Benefactor in acknowledgment of his contributions and endowments. He was a dedicated member of the Advisory Council of the Herbert F. Johnson Museum of Art, where his legacy endures in his donations of artwork, and in his endowment of the Seymour R. Askin, Jr. ’47 Curator of Earlier European and American Art. He was also on the board of Cornell Library’s Division of Rare Books and Manuscript Collections and created a Library Student Worker Endowment.

During his early years, Mr. Askin worked in his family’s business, The Askin Stores. He went on to become a stockbroker on Wall Street, and eventually co-founded Concepts International, an international design/manufacturing carpet company.

He was the honorary chair and past president of the Board of Trustees of the Jewish Board of Family and Children's Services, based in New York City and one of the nation’s largest nonprofit mental health and social service agencies. Mr. Askin started at JBFCS as a Big Brother in 1962, and he continued advocating for its programs for over 50 years . The Jewish Board honored his work on behalf of the agency in 2013 and, again, in 2015 with the dedication of the Seymour Askin Counseling Center, a licensed outpatient mental health clinic that provides services to all age groups from young children to adolescents and adults.

He was a lover of music and art, and a generous contributor to many causes in the New York area, including the Morgan Library, the Frick Gallery of Art, The Juilliard School, and the Bruce Museum. He was a donor to multiple exhibitions at the Frick. He and his wife Helen-Mae also created the Thomas Askin Alternative High School in 1972 in memory of their late son, Thomas Askin, in partnership with the New York City Department of Education, to address both academic and behavioral issues facing troubled students.

Mr. Askin was an enthusiastic traveler, always eager to learn more about the world. He also was an avid oenophile, especially of wines from France, and happiest when choosing 0a bottle from a good wine list as he treated his many friends to meals.

He'll be remembered for his generosity, intellect and wit. He was a quiet-spoken gentleman who cared deeply for the clients and staff of the many organizations he worked for, and was a friend who could always be counted upon no matter the circumstances.

Services will be held at the Campbell Funeral Home, 1076 Madison Ave., on Thursday, April 11 at 9:30am. The family is hosting a reception at the University Club, 5 West 54th Street, 3:00-5:00pm