2021 Father's Day Tribute: Steve Kayne

Steve Kayne – Asheville, N.C.

My dad is cool in a nontraditional way. How many Long Island Jewish girls have a father who’s a blacksmith? He started in our Hauppauge, N.Y., garage pounding iron into artwork, decorative pieces, fireplace tools and hardware. And he still crafts in Asheville, N.C., with my baby brother, also a Dad.

Growing up, I didn’t find it cool that my dad and my family dressed in colonial attire – my mom, sister and I in long sweaty dresses and mob caps – as we traveled around New York for craft fairs. I also didn’t think it cool touring the country during the summer visiting historical sites, museums and blacksmith shops.

As an adult I recognize the cool factor. I knew my Dad, and my brother in recent years, did work for movie sets, including “Mr. Destiny” and “The Last of the Mohicans.” I didn’t expect when reviewing the list of Kayne & Son commissions recently that Jewish Atlanta’s own Home Depot co-founder Bernie Marcus would join the list of former customers along with such film celebs as Jerry Bruckheimer, Clint Eastwood and Olivia Newton-John, and the sets of “Nell” and “Pirates of the Caribbean.”

I’d say I inherited quite a storied legacy. Maybe someday my kids will think I’m cool too. One can hope.

Roni Robbins

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