Gayle Wilhelm

Gayle Brian Wilhelm
Greenwich, Connecticut — Gayle Brian Wilhelm, of 88 Cherry Hill Road, passed away Saturday, April 8. He was 81 years old. Gayle was born in Springfield, MA on September 1, 1936 to parents William E. Wilhelm and Margaret Koerber. He received his A.B. magna cum laude, from Harvard College in 1957, and his J.D. degree, cum laude, from Harvard Law School in 1964. He married Emogene Ann Chase on September 1, 1957 before the two of them headed to the Far East where Gayle served his country for four years as a tactical intelligence officer in the United States Air Force. An expert bridge player, he won several national bridge championships while overseas.
Gayle joined Cummings & Lockwood's Stamford law practice in 1964 where he specialized in Trusts and Estates for private clients. In addition to developing a large and sophisticated trusts and estates practice, Gayle became a published authority on numerous trusts and estates subjects, including becoming the lead author of Connecticut's primary legal reference source for probate judges and lawyers, as well as publishing a seven-volume treatise on wills, trusts, death taxes, estate settlement and probate litigation. Gayle had a longstanding tenure as Chair of the Firm's Private Clients Group, and served as a Member of the Firm's Finance and Executive Committees. Gayle also served as Co-Managing Partner of Cummings & Lockwood from 1987 through 1990.
During his career, Gayle participated in various community and civic causes. He served as Legal Counsel for the Greenwich Public Schools Association, and for the Connecticut Probate Assembly. Gayle also was a founder of the Lower Fairfield County Estate Planning Council, and a Fellow of the American College of Trusts and Estates Counsel.
Gayle retired from Cummings & Lockwood at the end of 2015. He spent the balance of his life with his wife, Emogene, at their house in Greenwich where they raised their three children. The couple were members of the Innis Arden Golf Club for more than 20 years where Gayle was an active tennis and paddle player. He was also an avid fisherman, bicyclist, gardener and reader. One of his greatest passions was being out on the sound fishing for striped bass or bluefish, as well as motoring the waters beyond Greenwich Point.
Gayle is survived lovingly by his daughters Laura Wilhelm Moore and Erica Wilhelm Fotta (and husband Jeffrey Fotta); as well as grandchildren Eva, Spencer, Hans, Erik and Justin. Gayle was preceded in death by both his beloved wife of sixty years and their son Gayle Barrett Wilhelm. A private service will be held for the immediate family.