Victor R. Coudert Jr.

Victor R. Coudert, Jr., husband of Virginia Beach Coudert, died on December 22, 2009 at Yale New Haven Hospital , following heart surgery. Beloved husband, father, grandfather and friend, Victor will be greatly missed. Born on March 8, 1926, in Dayton , Ohio , to Victor R. and Anita Ohmer Coudert, Victor moved to Greenwich at the age of 6, where he resided until his death. He graduated from Greenwich Country Day School in 1940, Phillips Exeter Academy in 1944, Yale University in 1946, and the Harvard Business School in 1950. He was a member of the United States Navy, and served on a mine sweeper in the South Pacific in the years following World War II.Victor had a long term career in the pulp and paper industry. He eventually started his own company, Coudert Associates, Inc. He leaves a legacy of service to his community and his church. He served on the Greenwich Board of Ethics for 42 years, 34 as chair. Vic was very involved in St. Mary Parish, as a lector and Eucharistic Minister. He was a Knight of Malta, Knight of the Holy Sepulchre, and a Knight of St. Gregory. Mr. Coudert made 20 pilgrimages to Lourdes , France , as a volunteer to malades. His most recent trip was in May of 2009. He also volunteered at the Crudem hospital in Haiti . Victor’s lifelong passion for sailing began at the Indian Harbor Yacht Club, where he was a Junior National L16 Champion in 1952. He sailed in several Bermuda Races, and raced trans-Atlantic on Palawan in 1967. Vic enjoyed sailing up and down the Eastern Seaboard, and in 2006 cruised in the islands of Croatia .Mr. Coudert was an active member of the Harpoon Club, Horseneck Club, Indian Harbor Yacht Club and the New York Yacht Club. Victor was an adventurous traveler, and enjoyed countless trips with his wife around the U.S. and Europe, and to such far-flung places as Egypt , Turkey , China , Thailand , the Baltics, and the former Soviet Union .Victor leaves behind Virginia, his loving wife of 53 years and 7 children: Anne Schreckinger (Peter) of New York City, Victor (Jeanne) of North Palm Beach, Florida, Margot (Sam) Wolfe of Salt Lake City, Utah, Cathy of Norwalk, Matthew (Hobby McKenney) of New York City, Paul (Maureen) of Fairfield, and Lucy (Doug) Conrod of Greenwich. Mr. Coudert also leaves 12 grandchildren: Lexi, Charlie, Phoebe, Holden, Matthew Jr., Caroline, Justin, Charlotte, Fritz, Mason, George, and Katie. They all adored “Pop Pop.” He also leaves a sister, Marie Curry, and two brothers, Charles (Barbara) and Rene (Cheryl,) and several nieces and nephews. Vic was a devoted husband, and proud father. He lived life to the fullest every day. Let this be an example to us all. Friends may call on Sunday, December 27, from 4 to 8 p.m. at the Gallagher Funeral Home, 31 Arch Street , Greenwich . A mass of Christian burial will be celebrated on Monday, December 28, at 11:00 a.m. at St. Mary Church, 178 Greenwich Avenue , Greenwich , Connecticut . In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Williams Syndrome Association, www.williams-syndrome.org, or the Crudem Hospital in Haiti , www.crudem.org