Robert Spillman

Noted architect and civic leader Robert Arnold Spillman passed away on May 1 in St. Luke's Hospital in Bethlehem, the same hospital where he was born in 1931. A second-generation Bethlehem architect, he was the son of Otto and Ruth (Miller) Spillman and grew up in the house on N. New Street that is now the Kemerer Museum. From 1982 until his retirement in 1996, he served as president of Spillman Farmer Architects, the firm his father had co-founded in 1927. The firm has won numerous design awards and in 1997, Bob was named a Fellow of the American Institute of Architects. After graduating from Cornell University's College of Architecture in 1954, Bob completed his Air Force service. In 1956, he married the love of his life, also a Cornellian, Cidney Brandon Spillman from the Philadelphia area. They lived a full life together for 60 years. Cidney and their three children, Catherine, Sarah and Peter, were with him when he died. Bob approached work as both a challenge and a calling. He joined his father's firm, then called Lovelace & Spillman in 1958 after working for Douglass Orr, FAIA, in New Haven, CT. He stayed with the firm for the rest of his career. One Friday in 1996 he retired with a lovely party and humorous speeches and prepared to enjoy his new-found free time; the following Tuesday found him back at work, this time in a new role as Senior Principal, later developing expertise as a legal witness on architectural matters. He continued this work until he was 80, limited by illness though never his will to work. Bob Spillman loved his firm and his profession, but he also cared deeply about Bethlehem and its community. He firmly believed you should leave this world better than you found it, and he devoted a second lifetime of hours to organizations he believed made a difference. He was an active member of the congregation of the Cathedral Church of the Nativity throughout his life. He had a deep interest in supporting young people, economic development, and the preservation of open spaces. He chaired the Board of the Historical and Architectural Review for more than 20 years. He also served on the Boards of the Wildlands Conservancy, Kids Peace, the YMCA, Historic Bethlehem Inc., the Sun Inn Preservation Association, the Bethlehem Boys Club, the American Red Cross, and Lehigh Valley Partnership. He was a past president of the Bethlehem Area Chamber of Commerce, the Lehigh River Foundation, the United Way of Northampton and Warren Counties, and the Bethlehem Public Library Board of Trustees, and he served as Vice President of Lehigh Valley Industrial Park, Inc. and as a trustee of the Laros Foundation. Also a competitive athlete, Bob wrestled for Cornell, climbed the Matterhorn at 22, took up sailing at the age of 40, ran two marathons at 50, and carried the Olympic Torch for a short part of its journey to Atlanta in 1996. He joined the Bay Head Yacht Club, where he served as Vice Commodore (1999-2001) and Commodore (2001-2003), and began racing a Laser, a high performance one-person sailboat. He competed in 18 Laser Sailing World Championships around the globe, retiring from the sport at the age of 70. When Bob was diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease, he faced it with both courage and realism. The ensuring years left him physically diminished, but his focus on his family, his community, the practice of architecture, and the grace he felt we all receive from the gifts of the natural world remained constant. A letter to his wife in 2006, he wrote: "I have always tried to climb mountains, looking at each day as an adventure with purpose, striving for a better world through architecture and service, recognizing that I am but one steward of a fragile earth." Survivors: He is survived by his wife, Cidney, daughters Catherine of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and Sarah and husband Colin Bryar of Singapore; son Peter and wife Deborah of West Hartford, CT; and grandchildren Phoebe, Finnegan, and Samantha. Services: 11:00 AM Saturday, May 6, at the Cathedral Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem, 321 Wyandotte Street. Interment will be private at Nisky Hill Cemetery. Arrangements are with the Pearson Funeral Home in Bethlehem. Contributions: In lieu of flowers, the family suggests that contributions to honor Bob be made to the Wildlands Conservancy, 3701 Orchid Place, Emmaus, PA 18049, or to the Cathedral Church of the Nativity, 321 Wyandotte Street in Bethlehem.