Rash's Surname Index
Notes for Weld COXE
Weld Coxe, 81, a management consultant for architectural firms, died of complications from Parkinson's disease Tuesday, March 15, at Cathedral Village, the retirement community in Andorra, where he had been a founding board member.
Mr. Coxe created a career in the 1960s when it became acceptable for architects to market themselves. Previously, the practice had been considered unethical, said his son, Donald.
In 1967, Mr. Coxe established Weld Coxe & Associates in Philadelphia. The firm later became the Coxe Group, with offices in Center City and Seattle.
While operating his firm, he lectured and taught management and marketing courses at several schools, including Drexel University; Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, N.Y.; and the Harvard Graduate School of Design.
Mr. Coxe published Marketing Architectural and Engineering Services in 1970 and Managing Architectural and Engineering Practice in 1980.
Though not an architect, he had strong views on the subject and in 1983 wrote a commentary for The Inquirer opposing changing the gentleman's agreement that kept buildings in Philadelphia no taller than the hat on William Penn's head atop City Hall. He believed the city should build out instead of up, and that tall skyscrapers would restrict development.
His son built a vacation home and writing studio for him in 1980 on Block Island, R.I. The buildings were designed by Philadelphia architect Robert Venturi, whom Mr. Coxe had instructed to "keep it simple but make it architecture." In 1983, the buildings, an homage to the beach cottages of memory, won a national award from the American Institute of Architects.
Mr. Coxe grew up in Luzerne County, Pa., where his father, Daniel, managed coal lands owned by the family. He attended Harvard and served in the Army from 1950 to 1952 in West Germany.
After his discharge, he was a writer and photographer for newspapers in Massachusetts and Arizona and for the Pennsylvania Railroad's magazine. He then became public relations director for Vincent Kling Architects in Philadelphia.
While operating his firm, he lived in Wayne, Philadelphia, and Rocky Hill, N.J. After retiring in 1993, he lived on Block Island until moving to Cathedral Village in October. A sailing enthusiast, he had summered on Block Island since the 1970s.
Mr. Coxe served on several boards, including the Reed Street Settlement House in South Philadelphia, the Upper Main Line YMCA, and the Historical Society of Pennsylvania, where he donated his family's papers dating back to 1669.
In addition to his son, Mr. Coxe is survived by a daughter, Sally; stepchildren Peter, Steven, Philip, and David Hayden; three grandchildren; his former wife, Georgia Mattison Coxe; and his longtime companion, Barbara MacDougall. His second wife, Mary Hayden Coxe, died in 1993. A daughter, Robin, died in 1999.
A memorial service will be held at 3 p.m. Friday, March 25, at Cathedral Village, 600 E. Cathedral Rd. A funeral will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday, March 26, at St. Mary's Episcopal Church, 145 W. Broad St., Burlington. Burial will be in the churchyard.
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