Bob Handel, Patriarch of Blackthorne, Passes Away

EAST DURHAM―Some sixty-five years ago, Manfred Robert Handel came to America with just five dollars in his pocket. He also brought with him a strong work ethic and a dream to make something of himself. And that he certainly did.

Handel would go on to build several successful businesses, perhaps most notably Blackthorne Resort.

On Monday, February 26, he passed away surrounded by his family. Handel was 85.

Born in Rehau, Germany in 1938, Handel was 19 years old when he came to Harlem on an apprenticeship and began working as a master tool and die maker. He spoke little English and soon became homesick. But a weekend trip to the Catskills brought him to what would be his new home.

“Bob,” as he was known, met a woman named Ginger at Blackhead Mountain Lodge in Round Top. Immediately smitten, Handel knew he wanted to marry Ginger, but she would only agree on the condition that he bought her a horse farm. In 1958 they were married and later welcomed their first son, Roy.

Handel kept his promise to Ginger and they opened Tanglewood Ranch on an old apple farm in Durham.  A few years later, a second son, Dale, was born.

The Handels dedicated their lives to caring for up to 75 horses at a time, guiding horseback rides and conducting horse drawn hayrides for guests from popular hotels throughout the area. They employed a multitude of young people who worked summers at Tanglewood Ranch.

But Tanglewood was just the beginning of the Handel legacy in Durham.

As Roy grew up and showed an interest in mechanics, they built Supersonic Speedway, a mini amusement park on State Route 145. Later, Mullins Mountain Spring Hotel on Sunside Road came up for sale and the Handels became resort owners, reestablishing it as the Blackthorne.

“It absolutely amazes me how Bob came from Germany with just $5 in his pocket, dedicating his entire life building a major tourist attraction which has become a staple of Greene County,” said Patty Austin, Greene County’s director of tourism.

“Not only will be missed by the East Durham community, but also by all of the tourists that he became friends with over the years,” Austin said.

Today, Blackthorne has grown with campsites, family entertainment, a lively pub, and much more. They host reunions, weddings, and a multitude of annual events like the Catskill Mountain Thunder motorcycle festival and Rat’s Nest Run-in car show that attract thousands of visitors.

“Bob has been an active member of the East Durham community since arriving here over 50 years ago. He helped to build the Irish Cultural Center, volunteered at the East Durham Vacationland association, and poured his heart into numerous businesses alongside his family. He had a deep love for this community and spent his lifetime working to build something great within it,” Handel’s family stated in his obituary.

Assemblyman Chris Tague described Handel as “a staple of the community and a great person.”

“I am very saddened by his passing,” said Tague. "I believe that East Durham is better today because of efforts put forth from individuals like Bob Handel.”

Handel dedicated his life to his work and community, but his family was his true pride and today Blackthorne is a third-generation family business. He leaves behind a sister; sons, Roy and Dale Handel; daughter-in-law and Greene County Legislator Patricia Handel; seven grandchildren and a great-granddaughter. His wife Ginger passed away in 2010.

“In addition to his family, Bob has countless friends who will remember him sitting at the first chair of the Blackthorne Resort dining room and driving around the campsites on his golf cart,” the family stated. “While Bob’s time has come to an end, all in which he has created and all those whose lives he has touched will live on and ensure his memory will not be forgotten.”

A life celebration will be held at Richards Funeral Home in Cairo on Friday, March 1 from 4-7 p.m. Services will take place at the funeral home on Saturday, March 2 at 11:30 a.m. Following the funeral, anyone who would like to celebrate Handel's life is welcome for a luncheon at Blackthorne. A complete obituary can be found here.

“It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop," said Greene County Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Pam Geskie, quoting the philosopher Confucius.

“This quote reminds me of Bob―dedicated, hard-working, a humble man who loved his family and well, everyone―and he never stopped moving forward,” Geskie said. “Blackthorne is proof of that dedication. He will be missed.”