Walter Von Elm ’37

Backgammon, squash, golf, and bridge expert Walter Von Elm died Aug. 17, 1997, leaving a brother, Charles, a sister, Dorothy, and nieces and nephews.

At Choate, Walter was active in squash, golf, Glee Club, and publications. He majored in modern languages and literature at Princeton, was on the freshman golf squad and the undefeated freshman squash team, and joined Cap & Gown. He later rose from private to captain in the Air Force.

By 1952, he was in the purchasing department of Natl. Dairy Products Corp., a director, assistant treasurer, and on the camp committee of the New York Diabetes Assn., and chairman of the house committee and on the executive committee of the Princeton Club of New York. He began a career with Chemical Bank New York Trust Co. in 1961, becoming assistant secretary in 1963.

In 1953 Walt won the Class of 1921 Trophy in the Princeton Club's annual squash tournament. In 1955 he won the Vondermuhl Trophy for most improved squash player.

The NY Times published his bridge innovation in 1990, in an article that said he was a versatile 74-year-old "who has won many golf and backgammon titles and thinks the best way from A to B is to hire a plane and fly it yourself." His pilot's license, granted in 1968, was still current. In 1956 he won his third successive backgammon tournament at the Princeton Club and in 1987 won at the Everglades Club in Palm Beach.

The Class of 1937