Louis Finkelstein of Boynton Beach, Fla., died peacefully in his sleep on Sept. 2. He was 98.

His sons David and Martin and companion Renee Link were with him when he died.

He was born in Poland and his mother brought him, his brother and two sisters to New York in 1927. His father had come a year earlier and established a live poultry market in the lower East Side of Manhattan. They lived nearby then later moved to Brooklyn.

He served in the Army during World War II and was stationed in the Philippines and New Guinea. When he returned in 1946 he opened a butcher shop on 9th avenue and 42nd street in Manhattan. With his wife Shirlee, they later moved to Fresh Meadows in Queens, N.Y.

He would later return to the Philippines, establishing a food importing business. In New York, his nickname was Filipino Lou; at the time he created a 9th avenue street fair, mostly food, that closed the avenue for six blocks. He had a close relationship with President Estrada of the Philippines that was cemented when Estrada was a mayor and Lou sent food to his town during a devastating flood.

The most important thing in his life was family. His wife Shirlee and his two sons, David and Martin, were the center of his life. On his day off on Sunday it was always the visits to his parents and Shirlee’s parents in Brooklyn. Then years later on Sundays it was to the baseball batting cages with his sons, and Deli Masters corned beef for lunch.

Shirlee died in 1977. Two years later he moved to Boynton Beach. In 2002 he met Renee Link and they lived together until his death. They shared a beautiful relationship and lived in the community of Bayan Springs.

His son David moved to Martha’s Vineyard in 1973 with his wife Molly and baby Ellie. Lou and Shirlee would visit at least twice a year. He became a good tennis player, quickly learning from his handball days at Brighton Beach in Brooklyn. His son Marty and himself had some good matches with Stan Hart and a partner, and they usually left the court with smiles.

He led by example. He gave his boys strong values to live by: the value of family, education, friendship and the wonderful country we live in.

In adition to his loving companion Renee Link and sons David and Martin, he is survived by his daughters in law Molly Finkelstein and Julie Austin; four grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.

He will be missed.