Obituary for Philip Saunders Jr.
Philip Saunders Jr. died on May 17 at his home in Weston with his wife and children at his bedside, with one daughter, Elizabeth, playing “Dona Nobis Pacem” on the piano.
The son of Philip and Elizabeth (Doogue) Saunders, he grew up in Newton, MA. In 1959, he married Virginia Lavalle of Boston with whom he had two children before their divorce in 1969. In 1972 he married Lucy Koppelman of Baltimore; they settled in Weston, MA, and had a third child.
Philip graduated from Newton High School and Yale University (’57). Enlisting in the Army in order to learn Chinese at the Army Language School in Monterey, CA, he was subsequently sent to the Philippines. Afterwards, he went to London School of Economics to earn his PhD. Returning to the US, he worked for Charles River Associates, and then John Hancock Mutual Life Insurance Company where he served as Chief Economist, rising to the position of Senior Vice President. In 1986, he formed Philip Saunders Associates, an economic consulting firm which specialized in business valuation and litigation support, working into his 80s.
He was driven by an intellectual curiosity and his passions for travel, the environment, culture and family. He and his wife, Lucy, enjoyed traveling together as well as museums and theater.
He hiked in many parts of the US both locally and out West, as well as in some other parts of the world. Two highlights of his hiking adventures were climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro with his son in 1975 and trekking from Namche Bazaar to the Mt. Everest Base Camp in 2005. His hiking was always slowed by pauses to listen to and watch for birds. Skiing adventures took him out the back door, as well as to New Hampshire, the Alps and to the Colorado Rockies where he enjoyed hut-to hut skiing. Another favorite activity was sailing with his daughters and other friends and family, especially along the Maine coast.
At home, he loved nothing more than engaging the family in a croquet game in the backyard, a dramatic Christmas story reading in the living room, or a lively philosophical discussion at the dinner table.
For the last 25 years he has been a leader in the movement to get the Massachusetts legislature to pass the Public Lands Preservation Act to protect the open space that he valued so much.
In recent years, he was an active member of the Massachusetts Sierra Club, MetroWest Climate Solutions, the Pelagic Sailing Club, and the Congregational Church of Weston. In the 1970s and 80s he served on the board of the Boston Ballet. Professionally, he was a member of the Boston Economic Club, and served on the Board of the DWS Mutual Funds, from which he retired in 2007.
He is survived by his wife of 50 years, Lucy Koppelman Saunders and by his children, Philip Saunders (wife: Wendy Saunders) of San Francisco, Catherine Saunders (fiancé: Todd Sabelli) of Providence, and Elizabeth Saunders of Dorchester, and grandchildren Christopher Saunders (fiancée: Elizabeth Alexander) and Christina Saunders, both of San Francisco. He is also survived by his brother William Saunders and sister-in-law Judith
Markland, of Whately, MA and several cousins.
There will be a memorial/celebration of life at the Congregational Church of Weston (130 Newton St., Weston, MA 02493) on Saturday, June 4th at 2:00 p.m. A reception will follow. Please RSVP at https://forms.gle/Z6AxzFoxaLuoofpj9
If you would like to do something in his honor, and you live in Massachusetts, the thing that HE would most want you to do would be to call or email your State Senator https://malegislature.gov/search/findmylegislator
and say: ";Please support the Public Lands Preservation Act, and make sure that the version that passes does not allow for the
sale of public land.”
Gifts in Philips memory may be made to
Sierra Club of Massachusetts https://act.sierraclub.org/donate/rc_connect__campaign_designform?id=701310000008oQzAAI
Clean Water Action https://www.cleanwater.org/magift
Common Cause of Rhode Island https://actionnetwork.org/fundraising/common-cause-rhode-island
Or the environmental organization of your choice.
The son of Philip and Elizabeth (Doogue) Saunders, he grew up in Newton, MA. In 1959, he married Virginia Lavalle of Boston with whom he had two children before their divorce in 1969. In 1972 he married Lucy Koppelman of Baltimore; they settled in Weston, MA, and had a third child.
Philip graduated from Newton High School and Yale University (’57). Enlisting in the Army in order to learn Chinese at the Army Language School in Monterey, CA, he was subsequently sent to the Philippines. Afterwards, he went to London School of Economics to earn his PhD. Returning to the US, he worked for Charles River Associates, and then John Hancock Mutual Life Insurance Company where he served as Chief Economist, rising to the position of Senior Vice President. In 1986, he formed Philip Saunders Associates, an economic consulting firm which specialized in business valuation and litigation support, working into his 80s.
He was driven by an intellectual curiosity and his passions for travel, the environment, culture and family. He and his wife, Lucy, enjoyed traveling together as well as museums and theater.
He hiked in many parts of the US both locally and out West, as well as in some other parts of the world. Two highlights of his hiking adventures were climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro with his son in 1975 and trekking from Namche Bazaar to the Mt. Everest Base Camp in 2005. His hiking was always slowed by pauses to listen to and watch for birds. Skiing adventures took him out the back door, as well as to New Hampshire, the Alps and to the Colorado Rockies where he enjoyed hut-to hut skiing. Another favorite activity was sailing with his daughters and other friends and family, especially along the Maine coast.
At home, he loved nothing more than engaging the family in a croquet game in the backyard, a dramatic Christmas story reading in the living room, or a lively philosophical discussion at the dinner table.
For the last 25 years he has been a leader in the movement to get the Massachusetts legislature to pass the Public Lands Preservation Act to protect the open space that he valued so much.
In recent years, he was an active member of the Massachusetts Sierra Club, MetroWest Climate Solutions, the Pelagic Sailing Club, and the Congregational Church of Weston. In the 1970s and 80s he served on the board of the Boston Ballet. Professionally, he was a member of the Boston Economic Club, and served on the Board of the DWS Mutual Funds, from which he retired in 2007.
He is survived by his wife of 50 years, Lucy Koppelman Saunders and by his children, Philip Saunders (wife: Wendy Saunders) of San Francisco, Catherine Saunders (fiancé: Todd Sabelli) of Providence, and Elizabeth Saunders of Dorchester, and grandchildren Christopher Saunders (fiancée: Elizabeth Alexander) and Christina Saunders, both of San Francisco. He is also survived by his brother William Saunders and sister-in-law Judith
Markland, of Whately, MA and several cousins.
There will be a memorial/celebration of life at the Congregational Church of Weston (130 Newton St., Weston, MA 02493) on Saturday, June 4th at 2:00 p.m. A reception will follow. Please RSVP at https://forms.gle/Z6AxzFoxaLuoofpj9
If you would like to do something in his honor, and you live in Massachusetts, the thing that HE would most want you to do would be to call or email your State Senator https://malegislature.gov/search/findmylegislator
and say: ";Please support the Public Lands Preservation Act, and make sure that the version that passes does not allow for the
sale of public land.”
Gifts in Philips memory may be made to
Sierra Club of Massachusetts https://act.sierraclub.org/donate/rc_connect__campaign_designform?id=701310000008oQzAAI
Clean Water Action https://www.cleanwater.org/magift
Common Cause of Rhode Island https://actionnetwork.org/fundraising/common-cause-rhode-island
Or the environmental organization of your choice.