David K. Storrs, 74, of Southport, CT, died on March 3 with his wife, Landon T., and his son, David K. Jr., at his side. He was President of Alternative Investment Group, which he co-founded in 1996. Previously he was President of Commonfund, and from 1971 to 1984, he was the first Director of Investments at Yale University. He served for many years on the boards of TIAA-CREF and Alliance Capital. Raised in Oyster Bay, NY, David attended the Pomfret School before earning his B.A. from Yale in 1967 and his M.B.A. from Harvard in 1971. An adventuresome and intrepid person, at different stages of life David was an accomplished wrestler, skier, squash player, pilot, world traveler, and bridge player. His lifelong passion, however, was for sailing. At 16 he towed his sailboat across the country to place second in the 1961 North American Lightning Championship. At 73 he won the 2017 U.S. Match Racing Championship. His wife was his flight instructor when they met; before long they were racing sailboats side by side. He gave generously of his time and resources to many causes, among them Connecticut Audubon Society, Aspetuck Land Trust, Southport Congregational Church, Oakcliff Sailing Center (New York), and Shelburne Farms (Vermont). Family, friends, and colleagues adored David for his patience, kindness, curiosity, and integrity. His social grace smoothed the way wherever he went, making everyone around him feel welcome and respected. He was preceded in death by his parents, Richard S. and Frances Rousmaniere Storrs, and his brother Nick. Surviving him are his wife of 50 years, Landon T.; daughter, Landon R.; son, David K. Jr.; son-in-law Tyler Priest; grandson Mason Priest; sisters Ayer (Bellerman), Ginny (Akabane), and Nancy; and brother Cleveland. A memorial service will be held at 1pm on Saturday, March 30, 2019 at the Southport Congregational Church. In lieu of flowers, gifts may be made in David’s memory to Columbia University Irving Medical Center Cardiac Amyloidosis Fund for Research, in care of the Trustees of Columbia University, Office of Development, 630 West 168th Street, P&S 2-421, New York, NY 10032.
Published in The New York Times on Mar. 10, 2019
A warm remembrance of David is in the Alumni Notes column from May/June 2019.