Louis Watjen Pemberton
1928 - 2025
Louis Watjen Pemberton, 97, born in New York City November 27, 1928, passed away peacefully at NY-Presbyterian Hospital on December 21, 2025. He was a proud fourth-generation New Yorker who believed there was no greater city. He was the second of two sons born to Catherine Watjen and John Clifford Pemberton.
Louis attended St. Bernard’s School in New York City (Class of 1942) and graduated from St.Paul’s School in Concord, New Hampshire (Class of 1947). Growing up, he had many boyhood adventures with his brother and cousins in Central Park and cherished his years at St. Paul’s School playing football and ice hockey on the frozen ponds of New Hampshire. He went on to study American Literature at Princeton University where he was captain of the rugby team and graduated with the Class of 1951. He served as sergeant in the Marine Corps from 1950-1952.
Pursuing an interest in finance, Louis began his career with First National City Bank of New York (now Citibank) in 1953, opting to be sent to their Overseas Division in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. There he met and married his first wife Patricia Covington. After three years in Rio, he transferred back to Manhattan with Patricia and a baby daughter, Christine. He had two more daughters with Patricia; Anne and Julie. The marriage ended in divorce in 1973.
He met his second wife, Suzanne Grace at an art gallery opening in Soho in 1980. Suzanne, a costume designer for film and television, was living in Los Angeles at the time. They began a bi-coastal romance that lasted many months. They married in 1981. They went on to have a daughter Andrea and recently celebrated 44 happy years of marriage. Louis was an engaged and loving father to all four of his daughters.
Louis had a storied career working in the in financial markets for almost seventy years. After leaving Citibank, he joined Lehman Bros. in 1961 as a Vice President of Institutional and Retail sales for companies including Chubb, Atlantic Richfield and Guinness Mahon. After a brief period of forming Pemberton Associates (1973-1975), he joined Bear Stearns as a Managing Director with many private clients including Harry Belafonte, Judy Collins, and Prince Rupert Lowenstein, manager of the Rolling Stones. In 1993 he joined Oppenheimer & Co as a Senior Vice President. In 1996 he became a Principal with Liam Dalton, forming Spruce Partners. Later he joined Axiom Capital Management as Managing Director working until his retirement at 96 years old. He was admired as an amazing stock picker throughout his career.
What Lou loved most about his work was the people he engaged with everyday whether it was a client on the phone, his colleagues in the office, or the cashier at the sandwich shop downstairs. His generous spirit and his genuine curiosity about the people he met and worked with was infectious and left an unforgettable impression on everyone who crossed his path. He was legendary for his perennially bullish analysis of the financial markets, and his equally bullish
enthusiasm for all the various and many people he met in his life.
Louis will be remembered by his family and friends for his love of history and study of his ancestry. His father John Clifford Pemberton, a lawyer and Civil War historian, wrote a biography of his grandfather, Civil War General John C. Pemberton. His mother was a descendent of the D.H.Watjen shipping line that was established in Bremen, Germany in the early 1800’s. Lou personally connected with his mother’s New York family history and reconnected with many of his Watjen relatives in Germany and around the world.
He will also be remembered for his unconventional and adventurous years as a bachelor living on St. Marks Place from 1967 to 1977. He embraced the changing times wearing suede bellbottoms by night and Huntsman’s suits by day. During these years he was renowned for his ability to throw an amazing dinner party in his 5th floor East Village walk-up followed by a night out on the dance floor. He was a generous host and enthusiastic dancer throughout his entire life. His friends and family cherish their time sharing these celebratory moments with him.
Louis leaves a large and loving family: wife, Suzanne; daughters, Anne Pemberton (MarySummers); Julia Pemberton Hellums (Jay Hellums); Andrea Pemberton (Charles Follini) and grandchildren, Justin Snyder, Frances Hellums, Robert Hellums, Jedediah Follini and Beckett Follini. He is pre-deceased by his parents, his brother John, his nephew John, and his daughter Christine.
In lieu of flowers and in honor of his daughter Christine, donations may be made to Spring Lake Ranch: Spring Lake Ranch online: springlakeranch.org or by check to 1169 Spring Lake Rd, Cuttingsville, VT 05738. Donations may also be made in his memory to St. Paul’s School, online: sps.edu/donate or by check to St. Paul’s School, 325 Pleasant Street, Concord, NH 03301
A memorial service will be held on Thursday February 19, 2025 at 2pm at The Church of the Heavenly Rest, 1085 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10128 with a reception to follow at the Colony Club*, 564 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10065.
Please RSVP for reception at [email protected]
*Dress requirements: Gentleman are required to wear jackets, collared shirts and ties. Ladies dress to include suits, dresses, skirts, or tailored pants No sneakers or jeans/denim.
Louis attended St. Bernard’s School in New York City (Class of 1942) and graduated from St.Paul’s School in Concord, New Hampshire (Class of 1947). Growing up, he had many boyhood adventures with his brother and cousins in Central Park and cherished his years at St. Paul’s School playing football and ice hockey on the frozen ponds of New Hampshire. He went on to study American Literature at Princeton University where he was captain of the rugby team and graduated with the Class of 1951. He served as sergeant in the Marine Corps from 1950-1952.
Pursuing an interest in finance, Louis began his career with First National City Bank of New York (now Citibank) in 1953, opting to be sent to their Overseas Division in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. There he met and married his first wife Patricia Covington. After three years in Rio, he transferred back to Manhattan with Patricia and a baby daughter, Christine. He had two more daughters with Patricia; Anne and Julie. The marriage ended in divorce in 1973.
He met his second wife, Suzanne Grace at an art gallery opening in Soho in 1980. Suzanne, a costume designer for film and television, was living in Los Angeles at the time. They began a bi-coastal romance that lasted many months. They married in 1981. They went on to have a daughter Andrea and recently celebrated 44 happy years of marriage. Louis was an engaged and loving father to all four of his daughters.
Louis had a storied career working in the in financial markets for almost seventy years. After leaving Citibank, he joined Lehman Bros. in 1961 as a Vice President of Institutional and Retail sales for companies including Chubb, Atlantic Richfield and Guinness Mahon. After a brief period of forming Pemberton Associates (1973-1975), he joined Bear Stearns as a Managing Director with many private clients including Harry Belafonte, Judy Collins, and Prince Rupert Lowenstein, manager of the Rolling Stones. In 1993 he joined Oppenheimer & Co as a Senior Vice President. In 1996 he became a Principal with Liam Dalton, forming Spruce Partners. Later he joined Axiom Capital Management as Managing Director working until his retirement at 96 years old. He was admired as an amazing stock picker throughout his career.
What Lou loved most about his work was the people he engaged with everyday whether it was a client on the phone, his colleagues in the office, or the cashier at the sandwich shop downstairs. His generous spirit and his genuine curiosity about the people he met and worked with was infectious and left an unforgettable impression on everyone who crossed his path. He was legendary for his perennially bullish analysis of the financial markets, and his equally bullish
enthusiasm for all the various and many people he met in his life.
Louis will be remembered by his family and friends for his love of history and study of his ancestry. His father John Clifford Pemberton, a lawyer and Civil War historian, wrote a biography of his grandfather, Civil War General John C. Pemberton. His mother was a descendent of the D.H.Watjen shipping line that was established in Bremen, Germany in the early 1800’s. Lou personally connected with his mother’s New York family history and reconnected with many of his Watjen relatives in Germany and around the world.
He will also be remembered for his unconventional and adventurous years as a bachelor living on St. Marks Place from 1967 to 1977. He embraced the changing times wearing suede bellbottoms by night and Huntsman’s suits by day. During these years he was renowned for his ability to throw an amazing dinner party in his 5th floor East Village walk-up followed by a night out on the dance floor. He was a generous host and enthusiastic dancer throughout his entire life. His friends and family cherish their time sharing these celebratory moments with him.
Louis leaves a large and loving family: wife, Suzanne; daughters, Anne Pemberton (MarySummers); Julia Pemberton Hellums (Jay Hellums); Andrea Pemberton (Charles Follini) and grandchildren, Justin Snyder, Frances Hellums, Robert Hellums, Jedediah Follini and Beckett Follini. He is pre-deceased by his parents, his brother John, his nephew John, and his daughter Christine.
In lieu of flowers and in honor of his daughter Christine, donations may be made to Spring Lake Ranch: Spring Lake Ranch online: springlakeranch.org or by check to 1169 Spring Lake Rd, Cuttingsville, VT 05738. Donations may also be made in his memory to St. Paul’s School, online: sps.edu/donate or by check to St. Paul’s School, 325 Pleasant Street, Concord, NH 03301
A memorial service will be held on Thursday February 19, 2025 at 2pm at The Church of the Heavenly Rest, 1085 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10128 with a reception to follow at the Colony Club*, 564 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10065.
Please RSVP for reception at [email protected]
*Dress requirements: Gentleman are required to wear jackets, collared shirts and ties. Ladies dress to include suits, dresses, skirts, or tailored pants No sneakers or jeans/denim.
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