Robert “Bobby” Crabtree Sr., owner of the Lexus and Toyota dealerships in Westport as well as six others in the area, died Wednesday at his Greenwich home of heart failure, The Advocate of Stamford reported today. He was 79.
Crabtree rose before 6 a.m. at least six days a week to run his eight car dealerships, the newspaper said.
“Even as he battled Parkinson’s disease for the last few years of his life and was unable to drive his Lexus to his Westport office, play golf at The Stanwich Club or ski at Stratton Mountain, Crabtree spent each Saturday visiting his Connecticut dealerships to boost employee morale and ensure business was running smoothly,” the Advocate said.
During his more than 50 years in the business, Crabtree ran as many as 21 dealerships at a time, family members said.
At the time of his death, he ran Lexus and Toyota dealerships in Westport; a Toyota dealership in Milford; Mitsubishi, Cadillac, Kia and Subaru dealerships in Shelton and a Dodge dealership in Derby.
In addition to his wife, June L. Crabtree, he is survived by daughters Margaret “Muffy” Lyster, Constance “Pinky” Markey of Greenwich; sons Robert “Bobby” Crabtree Jr., of Greenwich; Joseph Crabtree of Huntington; a step-daughter, Marilyn Peek Juan of Greenwich; a step-son, Walter Peek of Rye, N.Y.; and a brother, Richard Crabtree of Myrtle Beach, S.C.
Viewing hours will be held from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. Friday at St. Michael Church, 469 North St., Greenwich. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday at the church. In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to St. Michael Church, 469 North St., Greenwich, Conn., 06830.
