Wilbur Wolff Couch ’51

Bill's life started and ended in Connecticut: He was born Sept. 12, 1929, in Bradford and was living in Sharon when he died Oct. 27, 2005.

A member of the class of 1947 at Taft, he was a sociology major at Princeton, roomed with Skip Dyer and Jim Brassill, was active in Glee Club and the Tigertones, and belonged to Quadrangle Club.

After service in the Marine Corps he was recruited by General Motors Institute to develop and present management training programs. In 1956 he joined Chevron and became manager of its Community Oil Division in New England.

Bill married Carol Lombardi in 1953 and thereafter, as he wrote, she was his strength, support, realistic evaluator, and loving caregiver. They were active in church choirs and choruses in western Connecticut. Singing with Tigertone friends was always a joy.

In 1983 he was diagnosed with throat cancer and diabetes. Despite ill health, he and Carol attended class functions, most recently our 2005 mini in Washington, D.C.

Bill is survived by Carol; his son, John; daughter Elizabeth Forstmann; eight grandchildren; one great-grandchild; his sisters, Dale White and Susan Andresen; his nephew, Clark Lombardi '90 and Clark's wife, Greta '90; and Clark's father, Bonnell Lombardi '58.