Richard Warren “Dick” Saylor of Islamorada passed away in the early hours of Monday, May 11, 2026 at the age of 79. Born on Aug. 15, 1946, in Champaign-Urbana, Illinois where his dad was working on his doctorate at the University of Illinois. He was the son of Sally Thompson and Roger B Saylor.
When his dad finished graduate school the young family moved to State College, Pennsylvania, where his father accepted a professorship at Penn State University. Dick graduated from State College High School in 1964 and Penn State in 1968 with a bachelor’s degree in business. While at Penn State he became a member of Sigma Nu fraternity, played basketball and joined ROTC. He met his future wife, Andrea “Andi” Holgate, who was also a student at Penn State, at a Sigma Nu social, and they were married on Sept. 7, 1968.
After graduation and the wedding, Dick was commissioned in the U.S. Navy as an ensign and assigned to the Long Beach Naval Base. He served three years and spent a year in Vietnam on “shore duty” in the Mekong Delta at a boat repair facility. After returning from his tour of duty, he attended Temple University where he earned his MBA.
Dick enjoyed a long and successful corporate career as a financial analyst and corporate controller, first with General Foods Corp., headquartered in West Chester County, New York; with American Crystal Sugars, headquartered in Moorehead, Minnesota, for four years; then at United Sugars, the marketing company of Crystal Sugars located in Edina, Minnesota. His corporate journey took him and his family to several states over the decades, where they formed many lasting friendships. His true passion, however, was always sailing. He loved sailing and teaching his daughters to sail and later passing that passion on to his grandchildren. While living in Connecticut, his favorite sailing adventures were sail races on the Long Island Sound and participating in the biennial Newport Bermuda Race.
After retiring and moving to Islamorada in 2004 with his beloved wife, Andi, Dick continued his love of sail racing and cruising throughout the Florida Keys aboard his C&C 36, “SaylorMan” and “SaylorMan II” out of the Upper Keys Sailing Club.
Dick was a founding father of the Florida Keys History and Discovery Center and served on the board of directors for several years as treasurer.
Dick is survived by Andi, his wife of 57 years; his daughters, Marsha (Mark) Giordano, Lucinda “Cindy” (Mike) Sakalas, and Janice “Jan” (Ty) Hoath; his sister, Barbara Kargol; and his nine grandchildren: Sophia, Gianna, Margaux and Portia Giordano; Stella, Henry and Hank Sakalas; and Tilly and Finn Hoath.
In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation in his honor to one of two organizations that were dear to his heart:
Mark Sorenson Youth Sailing Program at Upper Keys Sailing Club: upperkeyssailingclub.com/our-programs or Florida Keys History & Discovery Center: keysdiscovery.com/donate-today.
A Celebration of Life will be held at the Florida Keys History & Discovery Center located on the campus of the Islander Resort, 82100 Overseas Hwy, Islamorada, on Saturday, July 25, 2026 at 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. The family welcomes the sharing of memories and messages in his honor.
