S. Warren Prince Jr.

Warren Prince was the life of the party. He loved engaging with everyone around him, moving from table to table to chat, share in song, and make a toast to everyone’s happiness. He was born Sidney Warren Prince Jr. in Buffalo on Aug. 31, 1928. He was the only child of Mary Gladys Atwood and Sidney Warren Prince of Parkside Ave.

He went to Nichols School, where he met and cherished life long friends, and enjoyed summers at Camp Pathfinder, where he learned to love the wilderness on canoe trips in Algonquin Park. He went to Colgate University, playing varsity hockey and becoming a member of the Phi Kappa Psi fraternity, as well serving in the Air National Guard of the United States. He returned to Buffalo after college and worked for his father at Prince Rubber & Plastics, Inc., opening up Industrial Plastics in Fort Erie, Canada, to serve Canadian customers. He met his wife, Bonnie (Marian E. Bonisteel), on a blind date, and they married Oct. 10, 1953. They had three daughters, Allison Prince (David Clauss), Jennifer (Ron Bronstein) and Sydney (Steven Doherty), and four grandchildren, Kilby and Ryan Bronstein and Natalie and Sam Desrocher.

Warren cared deeply for his family and friends and always wanted one more day of vacation, whether it was Sea Island, Georgia, Slipper Lake in Canada or the Lake Placid Club, where he came as a child and learned how to ski. The Adirondacks were important to him, and as a young man, he traveled there by train to spend summer weekends at the Club and winter holidays at Mount Whitney with his parents. He would later bring his beloved wife, children and many other families to ring in the new year and enjoy the summer months in club cottages, finding life long friends there.

He became president and chairman of Prince Rubber & Plastics after his father’s passing in 1964, expanding sales beyond North America to include 82 countries in the Chlor-Alkali industry. He became president of the Young Presidents Organization, which cultivates a community of business leaders committed to personal and professional growth. His daughter, Jennifer, worked with him for 24 years. In 2016, he sold the business to his employees, as an ESOP, mentoring many of them for years afterwards.

He always loved Canada and became the Commodore of the Canoe Club in Bay Beach in 1973, summering on the Canadian lakeshore and enjoying his boat the Bon Bon on Lake Erie. He was very committed to Buffalo and funded many charitable institutions, including Westminster Church. At Nichols School, he expanded the Prince Lecture Series, established in 1964 to honor his father, to include the Buffalo Seminary. He also was very generous to his alma mater, Colgate University, and ensured that the North Country, including Saranac Lake, benefited from his generosity.

Bonnie and Warren traveled the world, making friends along the way, ultimately settling in Lake Placid in time for the 1980 Olympics, purchasing Godfrey Dewey’s home. The family enjoyed the winter games in a variety of roles working for the L. P. Olympic Committee. They would also settle in Ormond Beach, Florida to play tennis, golf and partake in one of his most favorite past-times: fishing. He maintained his childhood home in Buffalo for many years, appreciating spring and fall evenings at the Country Club of Buffalo and the Buffalo Saturn Club.

He outlived most of his friends, but took the time to extend love and friendship to many of their children, who called him “Uncle Warrnie.” He was a man with a song for all occasions, and whether on stage as a young man or down on Connery Pond, his tenor voice warmed the hearts of many. He passed away in his home in Lake Placid, having shared songs and stories with family and friends days before his death. His last remaining childhood friend predeceased him by a week. He leaves us dreaming of his best days and will forever be in our hearts and souls.

We were very grateful to have him in our lives.

Services will be private and at the convenience of the family. The M. B. Clark, Inc., Funeral Home in Lake Placid is in charge of arrangements. Please visit www.mbclarkfuneralhome.com to share a memory, upload a photograph, sign the online guest book or leave condolences for the family to cherish.