Robert Carl Wetenhall

Robert Carl Wetenhall passed peacefully on September 3rd at his home in Palm Beach, Florida. Bob was 86 years old and enjoyed a rewarding life in which he accomplished all that he hoped to achieve. For the last 25 years, Bob lived between Palm Beach, Montreal and New York.

Bob was born in Rye, New York in 1935 to J. Huber and Catherine Elizabeth (Maguire) Wetenhall. He spent his formative years with his family in Milwaukee, Chicago and New York. Bob attended Phillips Exeter Academy and matriculated at Princeton University. In 2011, Bob was awarded an honorary Doctor of Laws by McGill University in recognition of his work revitalizing the Montreal Alouettes football team and spearheading the expansion of Percival Molson Memorial Stadium.

In the late 1950s, Bob travelled actively, residing at times in both pre-Castro Cuba and Paris. He was among the first U.S. civilians to visit Moscow after the start of the Cold War.

Bob co-founded the New York-based investment banking firm McConnell, Wetenhall & Co. in 1963. He was primarily active in professional sports, commercial real estate, and venture capital investing. In the late 1960s, Wetenhall became a part owner of the Boston Patriots. In 1970, he purchased The Colony Hotel in Palm Beach, Florida, where he maintained a residence for the next 50 years.

In 1997, Bob purchased the Montreal Alouettes in the Canadian Football League. During the next fourteen years, the Alouettes played in eight Grey Cups, winning three championships in the 2002, 2009 and 2010 seasons. The rebuilding of the Montreal franchise was among his greatest sources of pride.

Bob was known for his big heart and his support of artists, entrepreneurs, and aspiring professionals. He sponsored the Alouettes' Together At School program, which impacted thousands of children in the greater Montreal region. Bob supported numerous charitable causes, including his longstanding commitment to the Catholic Church. He also served as a Trustee of the Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City for nearly 25 years.

Bob is survived by his two sons, Bob Jr. (Alana Austin) of Newport Beach and Andrew (Sarah Rau) of New York City, and six grandchildren.

The Wetenhall family would like to thank Angel Foster and the nurses who cared for Bob during the last years of his life; their compassion has served as a tremendous source of comfort.

The family will honor Bob with a memorial celebration in December in Palm Beach.

Donations can be made in Bob's honor to Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Palm Beach, Inc.