Paul M. Wythes ’55

Paul Wythes was born June 23, 1933, the youngest son of Marion and William Wythes.

He prepared at Haddonfield (N.J.) High School and graduated from Princeton with a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering. After two years in the Navy, Paul earned an MBA from Stanford in 1959.

After some years with Honeywell and Beckman Instruments, he joined Sutter Hill Capital, a venture-capital firm. Paul’s technique was to drive until he saw a sign that read “technology” and then go into the building and ask to speak with the CEO. The record shows this was a successful approach. In 48 years, Paul joined 27 corporate boards and seeded many prosperous ventures.

Tying the knot with Marcia Reed gave Paul an opportunity to excel as a husband and father. The couple had three children — Jennifer ’86, Paul Jr., and Linda — and eventually eight grandchildren.

A Princeton trustee for 14 years, Paul recommended the student-body expansion and served on the committee that selected Shirley Tilghman as president. Returning Oct. 21, 2012, from a golf outing and a Princeton weekend, Paul went into the hospital Oct. 23. He died Oct. 30, 2012, at Stanford Hospital & Clinics in Palo Alto of complications from cancer.

Space restrictions limit this memorial to a surface treatment of someone whom Mike Robbins describes as a “1955 colossus.” Please see more about Paul at www.princeton55.org.