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 Walter J. Coakley
July 21, 2006
Walter J. Coakley, 71, of Quanaduct Road, Stonington, Conn., formerly of Lenox, died Friday at Westerly (R.I.) Hospital.
Born in Pittsfield on Dec. 16, 1934, son of Walter M. and Jeannette Crowley Coakley, he was raised in Lenox and was a 1951 graduate of the former Cranwell Preparatory School, where he was valedictorian of the class. He attended Fordham University in New York from 1951 to 1953 and La Sorbonne in Paris from 1953 to 1954.
He transferred to Columbia University in 1954, where he received his bachelor of science degree summa cum laude in 1956 and was ranked first in his class. He earned his law degree from Columbia Law School, where he was a Stone Scholar, graduating summa cum laude in 1959.
Mr. Coakley joined the law firm of Sullivan & Cromwell in New York on Aug. 10, 1959, but left shortly thereafter to join the Air Force.
He served as a first lieutenant in the office of the Air Force judge advocate general counsel at the Pentagon from 1960 to 1963. After his discharge, he was promoted to captain in the Air Force Reserve in 1964.
He returned to the law firm and served as managing partner of the Paris office from July 1, 1971, to Aug. 31, 1979. The first managing partner to speak fluent French, his clients included Lazard Freres, Renault, many agencies of the French government, and the finance ministries of several African countries. He became a partner on Jan. 1, 1979, serving as an international corporate lawyer specializing in corporate finance and securities law.
He then spent several years in the London and New York offices, became managing partner of the firm's Washington office in 1982 and was a partner until he became of counsel at the time of his retirement in 1993.
He had a lifelong love of French culture and enjoyed classical music and reading.
He leaves a brother, Robert M. Coakley of Lenox.
FUNERAL NOTICE -- A Liturgy of Christian Burial for Mr. Walter J. Coakley, who died July 21, 2006, will be celebrated Friday, Aug. 11, 2006, at 11 at St. Ann's Church in Lenox by the Rev. Christopher J. Waitekus. Private burial will be in St. Ann's Cemetery.
There will be no calling hours. In lieu of flowers, donations in Mr. Coakley's memory may be made to the Lenox Library in care of ROCHE FUNERAL HOME, 120 Main St., Lenox, MA. 01240.
He is also survived by his sister-in-law, Mary Ann Coakley of Lenox; two nephews, Michael R. Coakley of Lenox and Robert J. Coakley of New York; a niece, Kathleen Coakley Muchnick of Westport, Conn., and eight grandnieces and grandnephews.
He was predeceased by two brothers, Joseph A. Coakley and Lt. Cmdr. William F. Coakley, both in 1966. He will be fondly remembered by generations of younger lawyers whom he mentored.
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