Robert C. Cotiaux, 88, Witnessed Atomic Tests

Robert C. Cotiaux died of heart failure early on Feb. 12 at the Village at Buckland Court in South Windsor, Conn., where he and his wife had been living since 2003. He was 88.

Mr. Cotiaux worked for 40 years for advertising agencies in New York City, retiring in 1990 as senior vide president and creative director of Allied Graphic Arts. 

A Korean War veteran, he was an Army photographer who covered the five atomic bomb tests and other top-secret tests in the 1950s. 

Both on Long Island and in Connecticut, he served as president of many community organizations, including the Rotary Club, which gave him three Paul Harris Fellowship awards, the highest honor of Rotary International, two of which were from the East Hampton Rotary. He built a house in Springs in the 1970s.

He was born on July 4, 1929, in Whitestone, N.Y., one of two sons of Edward Cotiaux and the former Anna Koopman, and grew up there. He attended Pratt Institute on a full scholarship, graduating with a degree in advertising design.

He and the former Martha Weyer of Ohio, who had come to New York to work, were married in 1960 and settled in Merrick. In 1974 they decided to build a house in the Clearwater Beach neighborhood of Springs. Mr. Cotiaux was president of the property owners association there and his wife was on the board of the Guild Hall Players. They enjoyed entertaining, in particular having lobster dinners for friends. 

Fishing and hunting were favorite pastimes throughout his life, according to his family, and he had a boat, the Decoy, from which he and friends fished. In Connecticut he was especially active in the Ketch Hollow Sportsman’s Club. 

In addition to his wife, three daughters, Jennifer Pearl, Lisa Crowley, and Jeanne Blandford, all of Connecticut, survive, as do a son, Robert Cotiaux of New Gloucester, Me., seven grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren.

Mr. Cotiaux was cremated. His family received visitors on Feb. 17 at the Samsel and Carmon Funeral Home in South Windsor, where a memorial service with military honors was held that evening. 

Memorial donations have been suggested for Rotary International, 14280 Collection Center Drive, Chicago, Ill. 60693. Condolence messages can be left at carmonfuneralhome.com.

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Correction: Mr. Cotiaux's surname was misspelled in obituary material submitted to The Star and that mistake that was repeated in the original version of this obituary.