Karl William Horlitz was born in Crossen an der Oder, then part of Germany, on Nov. 6, 1921. The town was renamed Krosno Odrzanskie at the end of World War II and is now part of Poland. When he was 3, he moved to the United States with his parents, Wilhelm Frederick Horlitz and the former Anna Seidel, and two sisters who died before him. They were Hilda Harris of Alexandria, Va., and Angelica A. Pennecke of Valley Stream. The family settled in the Yorkville section of Manhattan. Mr. Horlitz graduated from the Straubenmuller Textile High School in Manhattan and then took courses at Pratt Institute in manufacturing and engineering. He received a New York State license as an engineer, and worked for many years as a plant manager for John Hassall Inc., manufacturers of specialty rivets and screws, based in Westbury. He retired in 1984. On Dec. 25, 1942, he married Friedel Basler of Germany on her parents’ 25th wedding anniversary. The couple were accomplished skiers. Mr. Horlitz served in the Army from 1944 to 1946, after which he and his wife moved to Queens Village. In 1981, they bought a house in East Hampton, becoming full-time residents. She died before him.