Robert M. Olmsted ’63

Bob died June 20, 2024, of pancreatic cancer in New York City, where he lived and worked most of his life. His success as an investment adviser was matched only by the richness of his personal life — his contributions to the educational and cultural institutions he loved and his passion for his hobbies.

Bob came to us from Pomfret School, where he lettered in soccer, wrestling, and crew. At Princeton, he majored in engineering, took his meals at Cloister Inn, and rowed on the heavyweight crew. Bob earned an MBA from Columbia Business School in 1965, signed on with the Army Reserve, and did basic training at Fort Dix, N.J. Most of his career as a financial analyst was as an independent with Auchincloss & Lawrence in New York City.

Bob served as treasurer of Pomfret and the Spence School in New York City. He also served on the boards of the Windham Foundation in Grafton, Vt., and MacDowell, an artists’ residency program in Peterborough, N.H.

“Hobby-wise, I have probably spent too much time with great pleasure,” Bob wrote in our 50th-reunion yearbook. He was an avid photographer and spent many hours on beloved Adirondack and Central Park pathways as well as in the darkroom. He also was fascinated by the mechanical intricacies of clocks and collected pocket watches and clocks all his life. Monday evenings were busy as he wound every timepiece in the apartment. Daylight saving time was a special challenge.

Bob is survived by his wife, Stephanie; daughters Kate ’93 and Lexie ’94; and five grandchildren.