Jacques Pierre Sibeud Of Sag Harbor Dies March 25

Jacques Pierre Sibeud of Sag Harbor died on March 25. He was 93.

A successful business executive with an international career, according to his family, Mr. Sibeud was most focused on his family and friends. His intellectual curiosity, gregarious nature and open mind attracted new lifelong friends along the way wherever he went, according to his family.

Mr. Sibeud was born in 1926 in Toulon, France, where his father was a French naval officer. Most of his childhood was spent in Lyon, France, where he attended a Jesuit preparatory school before going on to Le Prytanée National Militiare, a military boarding school for children of Légion d’Honneur recipients.

Although his father hoped he would follow him into the navy, Mr. Sibeud was not attracted to the life of a soldier, which he could appreciate very well from his experiences as a teenager during World War II.

Ultimately, Mr. Sibeud’s calling was to become a scientist, so he returned home to study at l’École Supérieure de Chimie Industrielle de Lyon, where he earned a chemical engineering degree and a doctorate degree in chemistry.

While working on his doctorate, Mr. Sibeud made a discovery that brought him to the attention of the president of his corporate sponsor, Rhone-Poulenc, the French chemical-textile giant. In recognition of his abilities, Mr. Sibeud was asked to move to the United States to build a chemical plant in New Brunswick, New Jersey, and spearhead the company’s new business there.

The catch was he had to decide on the spot. Mr. Sibeud accepted the challenge to head to an unfamiliar country where he did not speak the language thereby launching a career lasting over 35 years with Rhone-Poulenc.

Ultimately, Mr. Sibeud reached the top echelons of Rhone-Poulenc as vice president-technical, overseeing important research and the construction and acquisition of more plants in the United States including a rare earth extraction plant in Freeport, Texas.

Another very important moment came in the spring of 1963, when Mr. Sibeud met the woman of his dreams at the home of a mutual friend. After a whirlwind courtship, he and Michele were married in New York City in November where they lived for the next five years.

In 1968, with 3-year old daughter, Amy, in tow, they moved to Princeton, New Jersey, where they lived for 21 years. Another significant decision came in 1966, when the couple built a home in Water Mill, where they summered for many years, eventually moving in full-time in 1990.

In 2014, they moved again to a historic home in Sag Harbor within walking distance of the pier and village.

Once retired, Mr. Sibeud had time to serve as treasurer and then as commodore of the Devon Yacht Club in Amagansett, where he had been involved for years running the weekend sailing races and serving as fleet captain.

He liked to joke that his father would have been very happy to see him in uniform at last, his family noted.

Mr. Sibeud also found time to serve on the vestry at St Ann’s Church in Bridgehampton at the time when they managed the renovation of the parish house basement to a multipurpose space for hosting meetings and Sunday School. He also ushered at Sunday services on a regular basis.

Mr. Sibeud had many hobbies in addition to sailing. He was an avid bridge player and also enjoyed tennis and golf. He and his wife traveled most years to California and France to visit their respective families, and visited many new destinations in Europe together.

They made several trips driving across the country, visiting friends and new places each time. Mr. Sibeud loved working on his garden with Ms. Sibeud, and also cooking and hosting beautiful dinners for friends and family.

Many will remember that every year the couple made raspberry and quince jelly to enjoy and to give as gifts. An avid reader especially of history and a true sports fan, he always had something interesting to talk about with anyone he encountered. As a member of several luncheon groups over the years, he enjoyed lively discussions.

His most recent project, now in the final stages of completion, is an extensive Sibeud family history dating back to the 1500s in both English and French.

He is survived by his wife of 56 years, Michele Brown Sibeud; his daughters, Amy and Eugenie, and his sons-in-law Alfred Morgan and Dean Gomolka; and six grandchildren, Carter, James, Timothy, Chloe, Grace and Max.