William R. Tobey, Jr., who spent his later years working to improve educational and economic opportunities for young people in Illinois and Colorado, died Friday at his home in Chicago. He was 83.
A native of Illinois, Tobey enjoyed success with the investment bank Drexel Burnham Lambert, helping to finance then-emerging telecommunications and media companies among others.
With his wife, Anne Coulter Tobey, he moved to Snowmass in 2000, although they also continued to maintain an apartment in Chicago.
He was particularly drawn to causes that could improve opportunities for disadvantaged young people. He was active with the Daniel Murphy Scholarship Fund, which provides scholarships to Chicago students. In Colorado, he led efforts to establish an endowment for the Aspen Community Foundation’s pre-collegiate scholarship program. He said he was committed to assisting “those who excel, persist, and accomplish so much,” despite their difficult economic circumstances.
William Robert Tobey, Jr. was born March 9, 1936 in Highland Park, Illinois.
His first wife, Beverly Nilson Tobey, with whom he had a son, William H. Tobey, and a daughter, Ann Tobey Rowlands, died in 1992.
In addition to his wife, daughter, and son, he is survived by his sister Suzanne Tobey Smart, step-sons David S. Ruder II and John C. Ruder, and eight grandchildren.
A memorial will be held in Colorado in July.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Daniel Murphy Scholarship Foundation, 309 W. Washington Street, Suite 700, Chicago, IL 60606, dmsf.org, or the PreCollegiate Scholarship Endowment Fund at Aspen Community Foundation, 455 Gold Rivers Court, Suite 515, Basalt, Colorado 81621.