Frank James Coyle Jr. ’41

Frank died Sept. 24, 2005, after a long illness.

Coming to Princeton via Browning School and Polytechnic Preparatory School, he majored in the School of Public and International Affairs. He played freshman football and lacrosse, and later, rugby. Frank was a member of Cannon, and roomed first with Vin Benedick and then C.H. Robinson. At Yale Law School, he roomed with Win Short and graduated in 1943.

Initially practicing law in New York, in 1948 he joined the firm of Hirschberg, Pettingill & Strong in Greenwich, Conn., becoming a partner before joining Putnam Trust Co. as vice chairman in 1971. In 1977 he became chairman and CEO of Putnam, retiring in 1983. Frank then returned to law practice with Cummings & Lockwood. He was president of the Greenwich Bar Association, a member of the Greenwich Revision Commission and the Connecticut Legislative Committee on Interstate Banking, and a director of Putnam Trust Co. and the Cologne Life Reinsurance Co. Active in civic affairs, Frank was a founding member and president of the Greenwich Land Trust, and past trustee of Choate-Rosemary Hall school.

Frank is survived by Marcia Garvin Coyle, his wife of 59 years; daughters Mabel Gerkin, Marcia Szydlowski, Jacqueline Reeshan, and Jennifer Moseley; his son Frank Jr.; and 13 grandchildren.

The Class of 1941