J. Layng Martine ’39

Layng died peacefully June 27, 2006, in Greenwich, Conn. He was 87.

He came to us from Columbia High School in South Orange, N.J., where he met his wife of 65 years, Jean Kinkead. He majored in economics at Princeton, rowed on the 150-pound crew, and joined Dial Lodge, where he became manager of the club as well as its director many years later.

Layng served in the Navy from 1943 to 1946 with duty in the South Pacific. After the war he started a distinguished career at Young & Rubicam, the advertising agency, where he became vice president and account supervisor. Interestingly, he became the first non-illustrator, non-art director to be elected to membership in the Society of Illustrators. Retiring in 1970, he opened his own agency in Greenwich with his wife and son Gene.

Actively involved in his community, Layng served on the boards of many schools and charities. As one who always saw the humorous side of life, he remained good-humored and gracious, interested in what friends and family were doing in spite of his reduced mobility in recent years.

Layng is survived by Jean, their two daughters, three sons, and four grandsons. To all of them, his classmates send their deepest sympathies.