Clifford V. Brokaw III of Southampton died on November 22, after a long illness. He was 87.
Mr. Brokaw was born in New York City on September 17, 1928, the son of Clifford V. Brokaw Jr., and Audrey S. Brokaw. Mr. Brokaw’s family heritage included well-known American names such as Theodore Vail, the co-founder of AT&T, and John H. Inman, the founder of the Southern Railroad and the Cotton Exchange. He attended St. Paul’s School in New Hampshire and graduated from Yale University with a bachelor’s degree, in 1950. While at Yale he was a member of the varsity swimming team and served as an editor of the Yale Daily News.
Upon graduation from Yale, he commenced active duty as a second lieutenant in the U.S. Marine Corps, where he served as an infantry platoon leader in Korea in 1951. He received four battle stars and one Purple Heart award during active service. Mr. Brokaw retired with the rank of lieutenant colonel in 1973, following 20 years of active duty service in the Reserves. He had a lifetime love of the Marine Corps and served on the board of the Marine Military Academy.
Mr. Brokaw entered Virginia Law School in 1953 and graduated in 1956, after winning the Moot Court Competition of Appellate Argument. He was admitted to the New York and federal bars. He practiced general corporate law with the firm of White & Case, with particular attention to such clients as U.S. Steel, Prudential Insurance, Alleghany Corporation and General Electric Co., including work on the first $100 million debenture issue sold publicly in the United States, for U.S. Steel Corp.
In 1959, he left law to pursue a career in investment banking. He spent 18 years in the industry, primarily with W.E. Hutton & Co. and Eastman Dillon, Union Securities & Co., before establishing the solely owned merchant banking firm of Invail Capital Inc., in 1977. Mr. Brokaw performed varied services, including public and private placement financings, numerous mergers and acquisitions for companies such as Tandy Corp., Continental Telephone, Gates Rubber Co., Armco Steel, Head Ski Co., ATO Inc., Georgia Pacific Corp., Baker International, Planning Research Corp., U.S. Steel Corp., Gulf Oil Corp. and Rockwell International. Mr. Brokaw served as a director in varied companies, including HEAD Ski Corporation, Clairtone, Planning Research Corp., and Brazos River Gas Co., Dallas, Texas.
Mr. Brokaw was a longtime sportsman. He was a member of a number of clubs, including The Union Club, The Brook, Meadow Brook Club, Piping Rock Club, Southampton Bathing Corporation, Farmington Country Club, Meadow Club, The River Club, Lyford Cay Club and Brook Hollow Club. He was also a member of the Military Order of the Carbao, The Order of the Knights of St. John, The Pilgrims; Holland Lodge No. 8 F.&A.M.; the Autora Grata Consistory, S.P.R.S. and Kismet Tensile A.A.O.N.M.S. of New Hyde Park. Mr. Brokaw was a member of the National Council of the Huguenot Society of America. He was a member of the Vestry of the French Huguenot Church of Saint-Esprit in New York City.
Mr. Brokaw is survived by his wife of 55 years, Elizabeth Rogers Brokaw; two sons, Clifford Vail Brokaw IV and George Rogers Brokaw; and six grandchildren, Olivia Vail Brokaw, William Vail Brokaw, Edmund Vail Dupont Brokaw, Alexis Dupont Brokaw, George Inman Stokes Brokaw and Caroline Elizabeth Rogers Brokaw.
Burial took place during a small family service in Southampton, and a memorial service for Mr. Brokaw will be held at a later date.
Memorial donations may be made to the Brokaw Professorship, care of the UVA Law Foundation, 580 Massie Road, Charlottesville, VA 22903.
on Dec 1, 2015