Stokley Towles

a Bostonian born in St. Louis and long-standing partner of Brown Brothers Harriman, died peacefully in his Westwood, Massachusetts home on February 14 at the age of 77. He is survived by his wife and best friend, Jeanne; by his children Stokley, Amor, and Kimbrough, his stepsons Clark and Chip Eddy and his thirteen grandchildren.

A graduate of Princeton and Harvard Business School, Stokley joined Brown Brothers in 1960 when the Boston office had fewer than 100 employees. Having joined BBH as a banker, Stokley launched the firm’s Global Custody business in the late 1970s, a division of the bank that today employs over 3,000 people around the world. A general partner from 1978-2009, Stokley remained active at the firm until his death.

Stokley served as Treasurer and Trustee of Noble & Greenough School in Dedham from the mid-80s into the new millennium, a span of service that matched his children’s aggregate time on campus. When his own father died at an early age, Stokley’s attendance at Princeton was secured through the largesse of others. The scholarship fund which he in turn established at Nobles continues to support meritorious students in need.

A lover and collector of art, Stokley served as Chairman of the Board of the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston from 2007-2010 when the museum underwent its large scale renovation and expansion. He recently joined the board of the Santa Barbara Art Museum, where he and his wife spent part of their winter. Over the years, Stokley was also a director or trustee of various institutions including the Vincent Memorial Hospital and the Norfolk and Dedham Mutual Fire Insurance Company.

Stokley was an ardent fan of bridge, chardonnay, Cheers, chicken soup, Churchill, common sense, conversation, dinner partners, his dogs, early morning Sunday services, history, Jumbles, life stories, Mediterranean climates, motor-boating, paperback mysteries, people, pop art, problem solving, the Rockford Files, routines, Seinfeld, simple pleasures, Starbucks, tennis, thrift, the top forty, vistas, and youth.

A memorial service will be held at St. Paul Episcopal Church, 50 Court St., Dedham, MA, Saturday, February 23 at 11:00 a.m. In lieu of flowers, donations in his name can be made to the Noble & Greenough scholarship fund, 10 Campus Dr., Dedham, MA 02026 fund.