David Battat

David Battat, Newton architect, died at home of a heart attack, on March 31. He was 70. He leaves his wife Judy McCann, son Daniel, daughter Margaret and son in law Diego and three grandchildren Gabriella Leila, Carolina Aurora, and Dylan McCann Silva. He also leaves his twin sister Anita, brother Kenneth, nephew Thaddeus, brother-in-law and sister-in-law David and Ann McCann, niece and nephew Kate McCann and Max McCann and their children, and his aunt and cousins (in-law) in Scarborough Maine, and his aunts, uncles, and cousins in New Mexico and California. He will be dearly missed by his near and extended family and friends. The son of Morris Battat, who emigrated from Burma to San Francisco and Aurora Mares Battat of Taos, New Mexico, David was raised in Los Alamos and Taos. As a conscientious objector during the Vietnam War, David served in medical and mental health settings in San Francisco and the Boston area Following alternative service, he remained in Cambridge, married Judy McCann, whom he met at The University of New Mexico, and studied architecture at the Boston Architecture Center and Harvard Graduate School of Design. He received his Masters in Architecture from the GSD in 1981. He was associated with the architecture firms of Tise Wilhelm of Brookline, Racek Associates of Boston, Stull and Lee, Boston and L.A., and others. David's diverse architectural projects and interests included exhibit design for the Westside Children's Museum, LA; Southwest Corridor system-wide components and furnishings, transit studies and planning projects (Boston, L.A., and Vermont), Roxbury Community College building and interior design projects, the Central Artery Project (Big Dig), restoration of the commuter rail station in Needham Center, originally designed by architect H.H.Richardson, a favorite architect. Beginning with the economic downturn in 2008, he consulted with area housing authorities including Watertown, Walpole, Lynn, Needham, and Newton where he became Capital Improvement Coordinator, in 2010. Throughout his career he was a valued colleague with a wry sense of humor and high ethical standards. He was committed to worker safety, whether in offices or on constructions sites. He also had a special interest in management systems and issues of accessibility and environmental protection and actively worked to support these principles, whether through problem solving during construction, advocacy for individuals with special needs, or through researching and applying for state or federal funding programs. In 2014 he left the Newton Housing Authority to work in the Newton firm of Tise Design Associates, where he continued these commitments. David was a gifted artist, writer, and storyteller. His love of cooking and of family traditions reflecting his Indian, Middle Eastern, and New Mexican roots gave him, family, and friends, great joy. (He was known as Salsa Claus at Christmas time.) He was a faithful volunteer when opportunities to cook for large groups arose, such as his childrens school events, family gatherings, and anytime the call came to help cook for special Eliot Church occasions. A celebration of life will be held at the Eliot Church, 474 Centre St., Newton Corner on Saturday, June 3rd at 11:30 AM. All are welcome. For directions or to share a memory of David, please visit www.eatonandmackay.com.