Robert Edward Coughlin of Chestnut Hill, Penn., died peacefully at home on January 7, 2016, surrounded by his beloved wife of 16 years, Louisa Spottswood, and children, after a long and fulfilling life.

Born in Boston, the son of William and Helen Coughlin, Bob was a graduate of The Roxbury Latin School. He received his BA from Harvard University; an MA in City Planning from MIT; and a PhD in City and Regional Planning from The University of Pennsylvania. He served in the Navy both before and after college, attaining the rank of lieutenant (J.G.).

Bob loved his work as a city and regional planner. He worked for the Philadelphia City Planning Commission from 1955 to 1961, where he played a primary role in preparing the city's comprehensive plan. From 1962 to 1980, he served as vice-president of The Regional Science Research Institute in their Philadelphia office, where he directed research on the impact of urbanization on the environment, open space preservation, and farmland protection.

In 1981, Bob and colleague John Keene founded Coughlin, Keene, & Associates, providing consulting services in the fields of planning and policy analysis. The firm produced the seminal National Agricultural Lands Study: The Protection of Farmland - A Reference Guidebook for State and Local Governments.

At Church of St. Martin-in-the-Fields in Philadelphia, he found his spiritual home as a long-time parishioner. There, he became an avid change ringer, spearheading the drive to have a peal of bells hung in the church tower in the English style (free-swinging). He also served on the vestry and the liturgical committee. In 1974 he became a Canon of the Cathedral Chapter, Diocese of Pennsylvania.

Although a resident of Philadelphia, Bob treasured his summers in Westport Point, where he enjoyed sailing, gardening, square dancing, and worship at St. Andrew's-by-the-Sea in nearby Little Compton.

In addition to his wife, Louisa Spottswood, he is survived by daughter Nina Cook and her husband Stephen Cook of Appleton, Wisc.; their children, Wilson Cook of South Dartmouth; Sarah (and husband Michael) Riddell of Manchester NH; and Biz Cook of Minneapolis, Minn.; son Ely Coughlin of Brattleboro, Vt.; daughter Bess Coughlin and her husband Damon May of Dartmouth; brother William Coughlin of Brookline, Mass.; and sister Patricia Gurevitch of Washington, DC. Jane Keagy Coughlin, his first wife and mother of his children, died in 1996.

A celebration of his life is planned for April 9 at the Church of St Martin-In-The-Fields, Philadelphia. In lieu of flowers, consider donating to the North American Guild of Change Ringers, the Westport (Mass.) Land Conservation Trust, or The Roxbury Latin School.