Fritz Schaefer, horticulturalist who started Atlantic Nurseries in Dix Hills, dies at 91 

Fritz Schaefer was a natural with nature.

When it came to planting, landscaping, or anything having to do with horticultural, the German-born Dix Hills man was a visionary in the industry. His talents led to the creation of his two companies, Atlantic Nurseries Inc., a wholesale nursery, and Landscape by Atlantic Nurseries Inc., a residential landscape design and installation business, both based in Dix Hills.

Schaefer, a father of five, started the design company in 1969 and it quickly became a landscaping force in the still-burgeoning towns of Dix Hills and Melville. The wholesale nursery followed in the early 1980s.  The companies still operate under three of Schaefer’s daughters, Biene Schaefer of Dix Hills, Irene Linsalata of Port Jefferson Station, and Gisela Schaefer Cronk of Babylon.

“He was always in awe of creation,” said Biene Schaefer, 61. “I can still picture his hands working the soil in his garden. … If you would see him with his propagation tools, nipping away and knowing what leaves to keep, these were the hands of a man with kindness and tenderness.”

Fritz Schaefer, who worked into his late 80s and was never far away from a plant that needed pruning, died Aug. 13 of natural causes at his home in Dix Hills, his family said. He was 91.

“In terms of horticulture, he had this incredible ability with plants,” Biene Schaefer said. “They just spoke to him. He developed amazing things. He just had this broad range of talent and ability.”

Added longtime employee Marie Ducharme, 66, of Mattituck: “He was a wonderful teacher. That was his major thing. Everything was learning. I have a degree in horticulture, but I would say 99 percent of what I know, I have to credit to being on the job, and he’s a huge part of that.”

Born Jan. 27, 1929, in Nurtingen, Germany, Fritz Schaefer was the youngest of three children. Shortly after graduating from the University of Munich’s Weihenstephan School of Agriculture and Horticulture in 1954, he immigrated to America, looking for better opportunities in the horticulture field as well as freedom from the strife of postwar Germany.

He settled in Freeport and began to work for his lifelong friend, mentor, and immigration sponsor, Anna Feile, at the Atlantic Nursery and Garden Shop in Freeport. In 1956, Fritz Schaefer’s then fiancee, Elisabeth Koenig, left Germany for Long Island and the two married in the Bronx on Aug. 30. The couple lived in Freeport and then moved to Merrick before finally settling in Dix Hills in the late 1960s.

When Fritz Schaefer left the Freeport shop to start his own venture, Feile gave him permission to use the Atlantic name, despite the companies having no business relationship. The brand blossomed into a destination for contractors looking to add spice to otherwise mundane projects. 

“He was extremely creative and knowledgeable about the industry and plant material,” said daughter Gisela Schaefer, 56. “He just always kept that going.”

Fritz Schaefer was awarded the Long Island Nursery/Landscape Association’s “Man of the Year” award in 1984 and was inducted into the New York State Nursery and Landscape Association Hall of Fame in 1987. In 2006, the Farmingdale College Foundation gave him the Ram’s Horn award for his lifetime achievements, according to the Atlantic Nurseries Inc. website.  

While most of his time was spent in the garden, Fritz Schaefer never worked on Sunday, devoting that time to church, family, and his favorite hobby, reading about history.

“He always encouraged us to keep an open mind and to learn,” said Biene Schaefer.  “Education was important, [as was] always questioning and examining. He always encouraged us to do that.”

In addition to Irene Linsalata, Biene Schaefer and Gisela Schaefer Cronk, Fritz Schaefer is survived by daughter, Dagmar Gorman, and son, Martin, both of California; and nine grandchildren. He is predeceased by Elisabeth, his wife of 60 years. A memorial service will be held at a later date. Fritz Schaefer was cremated, his family said.