Stanford Woodhurst

AUGUSTA, Ga. - Robert Stanford Stan Woodhurst, Jr., FAIA passed away in Augusta, GA on Tuesday, April 24, 2012. He was 90 years old and died peacefully in the mid-century modernist home he designed for himself and his family. A memorial service will be held at 2:00 pm on Saturday, May 5, 2012, at First Baptist Church of Augusta, with Dr. C. Gregory Deloach, III officiating. The family will receive friends in the Rotunda of the church immediately following the service. Born in the upstairs back bedroom of his grandfather s house in Abbeville, SC, Stan was the son of Eva Ferguson Woodhurst and Robert Stanford Woodhurst, Sr. He was married for 66 years to the late Dorothy Carwile Woodhurst and is survived by one brother, Charles Burt Woodhurst of Abbeville, SC. He is also survived by one son Robert Stanford Woodhurst, III, his wife Catherine Doris Woodhurst and their five children; Robert Stanford Woodhurst IV, William Gary Woodhurst, Alice Carwile Woodhurst, Catherine Brooks Woodhurst and Leila Hammond Woodhurst. Stan graduated as valedictorian of Abbeville (SC) High School in 1938. He attended the then all-male military Clemson University, graduating in 1942 with a B.S. in Architecture and a Commission as a Second Lieutenant in the U.S. Army Reserve. World War II was underway and he was immediately ordered to active duty. After flight training on the west coast he was assigned to fly the B-26 Martin Marauder, a twin-engine mid-range attack bomber. He flew his B-26 from New Orleans to Tampa, Brazil, Ascension Island, Tunisia and eventually to Sardinia. Serving with the twelfth Army Air Corps, 320th Bomber Group, he flew his B-26, The Pistol Packin Mama , on 64 combat missions over Italy, France and Germany and, near the end of the war, he was captured while on a forward reconnaissance mission and was MIA/POW at Oflag 64 at Hammelburg and Stalag VII-A at Moosburg Germany until liberated by the 14th Armored Division in April 1945. Stan received numerous service citations including the Air Medal with 6 Oak Leaf Clusters, the French Croix de Guerre avec Palms and a Presidential Distinguished Unit Citation. Moving to Augusta in 1947, he began practice with F. Arthur Hazard, AIA and then, in 1954, established Woodhurst & O Brien architects, a firm that continues in practice today as Woodhurst Architects. The American Institute of Architects (AIA), of which Stan was a member, recognized his skills and leadership with the Rothschild Silver Medal and by electing him to the AIA College of Fellows in 1992. Always active in the professional organization, Stan founded the AIA Student Chapter at Clemson, then he help found and was a charter member of AIA Georgia. He co-authored the AIA publication Design for Aging , served as president of AIA Georgia and AIA Augusta. Stan was also a member of the Architectural Registration Exam Committee in addition to serving as a Master Juror for the Architectural Building Design Examination. Appointed by the Governor, Stan served many years as member and then as President of the Georgia State Board of Architects. Stan s design projects include hospitals, shopping centers, schools, libraries, military facilities, houses and many churches; one of the most notable being the First Baptist Church Sanctuary in Augusta. A consummate professional, Stan has been recognized with design awards from AIA Georgia, Ford Motor Company, HUD and the Corps of Engineers. Stan was active in community service, various organizations and in the First Baptist Church, where he served many years as head usher and as a member of the Board of Deacons. He was also a long time member of the Henry Bible Class at St. Johns Methodist Church. Over the years he served as Chairman of the Augusta/Richmond County Planning Commission, Chairman of the Mayor s Committee for Urban Renewal, a Director of the Chamber of Commerce, a Trustee of Historic Augusta, member of the Downtown Development Committee and member of the Building Code Board of Appeals. He was an active member of the Richmond County Historical Society, National Trust for Historic Preservation, Gertrude Herbert Institute of Art, Historic Augusta, Downtown Kiwanis Club and the Augusta Symphony League. Stan enjoyed life. He was known for his modern home, his sartorial style and his stately, diplomatic demeanor. Stan was active socially, along with his wife Dot, entertaining at home and in many civic activities, at the Pinnacle Club and Augusta Country Club. He loved to travel with Dot as they made numerous trips overseas and around the country. Stan loved traveling, people, Scotch, bomber group reunions, Clemson football, fine cars, driving fast, spicy foods, reading, history, his grandchildren, but mostly he loved Dot. He did not like broccoli or tele-marketers not the least damn bit a tall . Memorials may be made to Historic Augusta, Inc., P.O. Box 37, Augusta, GA 30903 or to Trees for Augusta, P.O. Box 40084, Augusta, GA 30909. McNeill Funeral Home 109 Shaw Street Martinez, Ga. 706.364.9122 The Augusta Chronicle-May 4, 2012