Benjamin P. Coe ’52 died on March 21, 2026, in Watertown, New York.
(The following was provided by the D. L. Calarco Funeral Home, Inc. on March 23, 2026:)
Benjamin Plaisted Coe ’52
Benjamin Plaisted Coe died peacefully, surrounded by family, on March 21, 2026, at his home in Watertown, NY. He was ninety-five.
He is survived by his wife of nearly seventy-three years, Margaret “Peggy” Butler Coe, and by their four children: Benjamin Butler Coe (Susan) of Powell, OH; Elizabeth “Betsy” Campbell Summers of Wilkes-Barre, PA; Mary Susan Coe Foran (Chris) of Nashua, NH; and Margaret Jane Coe of Sackets Harbor, NY. He is also survived by his grandchildren Emily Jane, Edmond Christian, and Benjamin Matthew Coe; Amber Gail Summers; Jesse Solomon Turiel (Raquel); Benjamin Patrick Asbury (Natalie) and Christina Ann Miller; and by his great-granddaughter, Zola Rose Weaver.
He was predeceased by his parents, Rear Admiral Benjamin Coe (U.S. Navy) and Mary Ricker Plaisted Coe.
Ben was born on August 24, 1930, in Long Beach, CA, where his father served as a U.S. Navy officer. As a “Navy junior,” he attended sixteen different schools and developed an ease in forming friendships. Especially cherished were years in Hawaii, where he embraced the local culture by learning to sing traditional Hawaiian songs, play the ukulele, and surf. On December 7, 1941, while he and his mother were living temporarily in a hotel in Honolulu near Pearl Harbor, they experienced the events of the infamous attack.
He reached the rank of Eagle Scout, Boy Scouts of America, in December 1944. His participation in scouting fueled his love of the outdoors, his sense of adventure, and was instrumental in developing his wonderful leadership style.
In 1947, during their senior year at Winchester High School in Winchester, Massachusetts (Class of 1948), Ben met Peggy Butler, who would become his beloved wife. On September 5, 1953, in Millburn, New Jersey, he married Peggy, beginning a lifelong partnership marked by enduring love and faithful companionship. They traveled the world together and were never far apart. Their marriage stands as a lasting testament to a profound and abiding partnership.
Ben attended Bowdoin College, Brunswick, ME, on a five-year program with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, (three years at Bowdoin and two years at MIT). He was elected to membership in numerous academic societies and was active in both the track team and Glee Clubs at both schools. Ben was among the earliest members of the MIT Logarhythms, a double octet. His love of singing and music remained one of his fondest memories and inspired him throughout his life to always have a song at the ready.
Ben joined General Electric (GE) upon graduation and worked there until 1965. He left GE to become the first executive director of Volunteers for International Technical Assistance (VITA), an internationally focused nonprofit organization headquartered in Schenectady, NY, that provided technical assistance to communities and organizations with critical needs.
During his time in Schenectady, he sang with the choir of St. George’s Episcopal Church and served for nine years as a volunteer firefighter with the Grand Boulevard Fire Dept. in Niskayuna, NY.
In October 1973, Ben became the first executive director of the N.Y. State Tug Hill Commission, headquartered in Watertown, NY. The Tug Hill Region includes the third-largest open space in NY State. The initial legislation required the Commission to study the region and make recommendations on complex issues such as land use, where the region’s small municipalities were often confronted by large, well-financed enterprises. He served as executive director for twenty years, retiring in October 1993. In May of 2013, Ben was declared by the Commission as Tug Hill Sage #33. His grassroots and non-regulatory leadership style, along with his easygoing personality, have left a lasting, positive legacy in the region.
Rotary was one of Ben’s greatest passions. He joined the organization in 1968 while living in Schenectady and, after moving to Watertown in 1974, became an active member of the Watertown Rotary Club, serving as club president from 1989 to 1990. As governor of District 7040 from 1996 to 1997, Ben, together with his wife, Peggy, visited all sixty-eight clubs across Northern New York, Ontario, and Quebec. In 2013, he received the Rotary Foundation’s highest honor, the Distinguished Service Award, and in 2014 was recognized with Rotary International’s Service Above Self Award.
In 1991, Ben started the Volunteer Center of Jefferson County, which sought ways for people to help those in need through volunteerism. In 2006, the name was changed to the Volunteer Transportation Center (VTC). Today, the Volunteer Transportation Center serves those in need and ensures independence through transportation. As a founding member of the annual North Country Chili Cook-off, Ben brought both heart and tradition to the VTC fundraising event by proudly singing the national anthem.
Ben served as president of United Way of Jefferson County from 1992 to 1994.
Ben was an active member of Trinity Episcopal Church in Watertown, serving thirteen years on the Vestry, including two times as Warden. He shared his love of music through many years of faithful service in the church choir. Ben found happiness in song, offering his gift freely and wholeheartedly.
In December 2011, he was named by the Watertown Chamber of Commerce the sixtieth recipient of its annual Israel A. Shapiro Citizenship Award.
Ben had a lifelong love of animals. From the start of their marriage, he and Peggy always shared their home with pets, who were a constant and valued part of their lives.
Above all, Ben was a devoted and loving husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, as well as a trusted friend and mentor to many. His warmth, humor, and adventuresome spirit will be dearly missed.