In Memoriam: Earl Hathaway, 75

Long-time Chase Banker in Europe

Earl B. Hathaway II, 75, died on October 18, 2013, in Portland Maine. He leaves his wife, Lynn, daughter, Amanda, son, Burton, and grandson Griffin.

Earl joined Chase Manhattan after graduating from Cornell and Columbia University.  His career, principally in Corporate and Institutional Banking, took him to Belgium, the United Kingdom and, ultimately, the United States, where he served as Relationship Manager for Chase's business with The Metropolitan Life Insurance Company.  

A memorial service will be held December 20, 2013 at 2 pm at St. Mary the Virgin Episcopal Church on Foreside Road in Falmouth, Maine.

Writes Dennis Goggin:

I first met Earl Hathaway  in Spring 1973 when he interviewed me as an improbable candidate for Chase's fabled Credit Training Program. I had an academic background in Russian and East European history and had decided I did not want to finish my dissertation, did not want to teach or do research but did not want to remain unemployed. I very much wanted to be hired in the Chase training program.  After running the gamut of the many Chase interviewers, I was slated to meet Earl, a unit manager in Credit Training who, Personnel had gravely informed me, possessed "the final authority" on whether I would be hired.

Looking at my resume, Earl asked of my background and plans if I were to be hired. I noticed the conditional tense and went into a well rehearsed monologue about working at night and on weekends to finish my dissertation while completing the training program. Earl leveled a benign stare at me and gently explained that if I were in the training  program (again the conditional tense) I would be so busy I would sleep on the weekends and study at night. It turned out that Earl had degrees in French Intellectual History and had made a similar decision. To my joy and surprise, I was hired, completed the training program, and, after a stint in Frankfurt ,went to London where I found Earl working in Institutional, dealing with the insurance market. Over the many years in London, we became fast friends and Earl and his wife, Lynn, included me in many of their social events and family affairs where I grew to know and like their children, Amanda and Burton.

Earl was unique. Flawless in manners, and incredibly well read, you could discuss any subject with him and still want more. He did not suffer fools gladly, but always with politeness and at worst, silence.

We spoke during his last days...laughed, reminisced and revisited good restaurants and better pubs.

On another occasion, I've said I regard the luckiest thing in my life was working for Chase and some of the exceptionally intersting people I knew there.

Add Earl Hathaway.

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Anyone else wishing to share a remembrance should send it to news@chasealum.org.

From John Loeffler:  I have not seen Earl since we worked together in International Insurance in 1978 -1980. We traveled Scandinavia, the continent and the middle east extensively and he was a wonderful companion. I especially remember he could always find a great local place to dine pretty much no matter the city. Most of all, I have a piece of London memorabilia in my corner cabinet that periodically reminds me of Earl – and Lynn. We dined one evening at the Pub just down the street from their home and had a great conversation with the owner and his wife. And though we have not maintained contact, I am sorry to hear of Earl's passing.   

From Kathy (Scully) Plumbly: I was so sad to hear about the passing of Earl, I worked for Earl as his PA somewhere around 1979-1980 when he covered Insurance. He was one of the nicest persons you could ever wish to meet. I only worked for him for a short time as I was asked to do a 'job swap' with Gwen Rees (who has also passed on), so then I worked across the hall in Shipping, so continued to have contact and see Earl daily until he returned to New York. I remember the time someone phoned and asked to speak to The Earl of Hathaway, we all laughed at that one.I was then unmarried and known as Kathy Scully.
     He will be greatly missed by all his friends and those who knew him.

From George Rapport: Earl, Tim McGinnis, David Banks, and I together stumbled our way through credit training in 1968-1970 (those were the days when Credit Training sometimes resembled a long march through the Gobi Desert). Upon completion, Earl went to Antwerp, Tim went to London (followed not longer after by David), and I to Paris.
      After serving a stint back in New York, Earl, Lynn and their children returned to Europe and remained posted in London for many years. We overlapped in the UK during the years 1981-1985, and we renewed the friendship that we had already established. (Important fact: Earl imported the very first Weber grill into the UK, and many of his friends enjoyed his outdoor cooking at the Hathaway’s house on the corner of Caroline and Eaton Terraces – God knows what the natives thought!)
      Dennis Goggin, in his tribute to Earl, absolutely described Earl perfectly – a gentleman through and through, a scholar, and a very very good friend.
      He will be greatly missed.

From Tim McGinnis: Earl and I met during our first week of credit training in July 1968. From the very beginning it was apparent that Earl was a gentle soul. Once we had struggled through the training program, Earl and his family were assigned to Antwerp, George Rapport and family to Paris and my family to London.  About once every three months the three couples would get together in one of the three locations for a little R and R. Earl quickly took over the role of the locator of fine restaurants and adult beverages. It was truly a magical time for all of us with Earl leading the way.
     I was fortunate over the years to work several times alongside Earl, which allowed us to continue our tour of fine food establishments. Throughout this period his great sense of humor and knowledge of fine wines always came to the forefront. 
     Towards the end of our careers with Chase whenever I was in New York we would share lunch or dinner with many stories and laughs about our earlier years. 
     It is with great regret that I must say good by to a marvelous human being. God bless you Earl.


From Roger Griffin: I remember Earl Hathaway exactly as Dennis Goggin and others have described him. Courteous and a scholar and, in addition, seemingly completely free of the stress that afflicted the rest of us from time to time. I have this mental picture of him sitting back in his chair with one arm on his desk listening quietly but just a tad quizzically – perhaps that’s what Dennis meant - to the latest stories of what horrors Tony Terracciano (note the double “c” – googling with a single “c” brings you to some actor) had visited on some poor wretch. He also, as I recall, was always impeccably dressed and dedicated to the wearing of bow ties which seemed almost risqué in those days.