Douglas Kadow, a railroad historian and longtime telecommunications and tech consultant, died while working a shift at the Haines Falls Stewart’s Shop on Wednesday, April 8, according to the company.
“We don’t have a lot of information on what happened,” said Robin Cooper, manager of public relations at Stewart’s Shops. “He was at work yesterday evening and it appears he had a medical issue and passed away at work.”
He added: “This is a very sad moment for Doug’s family and the Stewart’s family.”
A senior dispatcher at the Greene County Sheriff’s Office declined to release more information. The Hunter Police Department, Greene County Sheriff’s Office, Hunter Area Ambulance, and Greene County paramedics responded to the call.
Kadow, 63, was known in the Catskills for his interest in railroad history. Over the years, he gave talks on the Ulster and Delaware Railroad, the line that operated from 1875 to 1932 and linked the Hudson River to inland mountain towns, helping drive tourism and industry in the region before declining with the rise of the automobile.
According to his LinkedIn profile, he held roles at companies including Dimension Data, and, most recently, his own consulting business, Doug Kadow Consulting. He also worked as an economic development and technical consultant for Delaware County.
“He was a beloved Stewart’s employee. And he loved talking to everyone who came in that store,” said his daughter Cass Kadow. “He was my dad, my drum tech, came to every show he could have of mine. My mom Michele and him loved each other in their own crazy kind of way that made them two peas in a pod.”
Stewart’s Shops said Kadow had worked at the Haines Falls location for about two years and was a shop partner. Following his death, the company’s personnel department contacted employees who worked at the store and those who worked closely with him to offer mental health services, Cooper said.
Kadow also served as president of the Ulster and Delaware Railroad Historical Society. Richard F. Makse, the group’s former secretary and treasurer, said the organization had been defunct since 2022 and largely inactive since 2019.
His daughter Cass Kadow, in a Facebook post, called Kadow “my best friend” and “my biggest support,” and remembered him as a railroad historian, a longtime tech professional, and a devoted Grateful Dead fan.
Noah Eckstein is the editor-in-chief of The Overlook. Send correspondence to noah@theoverlooknews.com.