Stanley J. Seeger Jr. ’52 *56

Stanley died June 24, 2011, at his home in London.

Born in Milwaukee, he majored in music, was awarded the Alfred Noyes Prize in Poetry, and was active with the Chapel Choir, Theatre Intime, and the Nassau Lit. He earned a master of fine arts degree in music from Princeton in 1956.

Stanley became one of the most renowned art collectors of the late 20th century. The London Telegraph wrote: "An American who made Britain his home, he put together several different collections of memorable distinctiveness and quality. Once assembled to his perfectionist satisfaction, however, he was fond of dispersing them and moving on." In 1961, the Princeton University Art Museum exhibited Stanley's early collection. In 1993 he sold 88 Picassos and outstanding works by modernist masters, and in 2001, he sold two centuries of British art in New York and London.

Stanley's generous gifts established the endowment in his name that supports the University's Hellenic Studies program described by President Tilghman as "one of the world's great centers for the study of Greece and the global influence of Greek ideas."

Stanley is survived by Christopher Cone, his partner of 32 years.