Peter E. Guernsey, 86, of Edgartown died August 2 at the family's ancestral home, Kent Harbor, on the Vineyard.

Born in New York city on July 29, 1921, Mr. Guernsey lived in Old Westbury, Long Island, N.Y., and New York city. Throughout his entire life, Mr. Guernsey spent his summers on the Vineyard, where every afternoon he could be seen in Edgartown harbor sailing his catboat, Fiona, or his Herreshoff, Pickle.

After attending the Rye Country Day School in Rye, N.Y., and The Taft School in Watertown, Conn., Mr. Guernsey attended Yale University and graduated with the famous 1944 class, where he was a member of the Fence Club and the Wolf's Head Society.

An accomplished hockey player and golfer, Mr. Guernsey held a number of records in track, specifically the long jump and pole vault. At Taft in the first jump he made in competition, he flew past the entire pit. Track officials, in disbelief of such a jump, had to remeasure the pit. Subsequently, the school had to increase the length of its long jump pit. In 1942 Mr. Guernsey won the All Ivy League Long Jump Competition by setting record of 23 feet, 2.63 inches. He also competed in the Penn Relays. At Taft he also held the record for many years in the pole vault, clearing the height of 11 feet, 9 inches with the then-existing technology, a bamboo pole.

He was a member of the Yale Hockey Association, the St. Nicholas Hockey Club, and the founder of the Youth Hockey Program at Beaver Dam Winter Sports Club. He was also a member of the Racquet and Tennis Club, New York; the Edgartown Golf Club; the Vineyard Golf Club; the United States Senior Golf Association; and the Edgartown Yacht Club.

Mr. Guernsey served his country as a captain in field artillery in the U.S. Army in World War II in the Philippines before beginning a 42-year executive career at Marsh McLennan.

He volunteered his time and experience to many professional and community organizations, including serving on the board of directors for Shroder Investment Management North America; heading Greentree Associates, a club of court tennis enthusiasts who kept the game alive at America's last remaining private court from the mid-80s until 2003; and as a governor of the United States Court Tennis Association from 1988 to 2007. He was also president of the former Madison Square Garden Club (which was co-founded in 1926 by his father, Otis L. Guernsey, president and owner of Abercrombie and Fitch) and he was the longest honorary life member (56 years) and former president of the Edgartown Reading Room.

Survivors include his wife of 62 years, Barbara Thurston Guernsey of New York city and Edgartown; his brother, David T. Guernsey of Falmouth; his son, Peter E. (Tony) Guernsey Jr. of Bedford, N.Y. and New York city; his two daughters, Dinah G. Reath of Lewes, Del., and Didi G. Wood-Hull of Bedford, N.Y.; eight grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren.

A private memorial service will be held in mid-August at Kent Harbor on the Vineyard with Mr. Guernsey's immediate family. Memorial contributions may be made to The Hospice of Martha's Vineyard, P.O. Box 2549, Oak Bluffs, MA 02557, or to the Edgartown Reading Room Benevolent Fund, Box 1393, Edgartown, MA 02539.