Edwin John Slipek Jr.

1950 - 2025

Edwin John Slipek, Jr.

October 12, 1950 - December 15, 2025

Edwin John Slipek, Jr., passed away on December 15, 2025, at the age of 75, after a brief illness. Eddie, as he was fondly known, was a noted architectural historian and critic in his beloved hometown of Richmond, VA.

Eddie and his five siblings were raised by their parents in Richmond's Ginter Park neighborhood. After attending John Marshall High School, Eddie enrolled at Boston University, where he had a part-time job at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. After two years, he returned to Richmond to complete his degree in art history at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU). While at VCU, he was on staff at the school's Anderson Gallery and editor-in-chief of the Commonwealth Times, the school newspaper. In later years, Eddie would pursue classes toward a graduate degree in architectural history at VCU.

In 1973, Eddie joined the staff of The Richmond Mercury, a cutting-edge paper that was an alternative to Richmond's more traditional newspapers. Thereafter, he was hired as the director of corporate communications for national retailer Best Products Inc. by company founders and philanthropists Sydney and Frances Lewis, who had been investors in The Mercury. He produced an annual report so creative that The Wall Street Journal took note. He worked closely with architects, such as SITE Inc., Philip Johnson, and Robert Venturi, in the design of distinctive Best Products showrooms across the country. During this period, he also produced Clue magazine, an avant-garde tabloid covering Richmond's art and culture scene.

From 1992 to 2021, Eddie was the senior contributing editor and only architecture critic in the state of Virginia at Style Weekly. His features on local architects and designers showcased his dedication to the Richmond community. In 2021, when Style was temporarily shut down, Eddie began writing for Richmond BizSense, where he continued up to the time of his passing. Both Style Weekly and BizSense afforded Eddie latitude to cover a wide range of topics of interest.

In addition to writing, Eddie was a dedicated educator and mentor over the past two decades. He served as an adjunct instructor in architectural history at VCU's School of the Arts and as faculty at the Maggie L. Walker Governor's School for Government & International Studies. He loved his students and was always delighted and proud when they returned to visit and share news of their accomplishments. Eddie also enjoyed travel and found great joy in leading student groups to New York City and various European destinations, his favorite being Italy. He had a gift for making history fun with anecdotes and details and loved lecturing and leading specialized tours of Richmond and other locations for such groups as the Road Scholars, Westminster Canterbury Richmond, The Woman's Club of Richmond, and the VCU Commonwealth Society.

Furthermore, Eddie's talents extended to the world of theater, where he became a set designer at The Firehouse Theater, contributing to 26 main stage productions and enhancing the visual storytelling of these performances. He was passionate about preserving Richmond architecture and was actively involved with Historic Richmond. In recent years, he co-founded an online encyclopedia and forum called Architecture Richmond, dedicated to regional architecture and design, and was nearing completion of a book about noted Richmond architect, W. Duncan Lee.

Eddie Slipek was recognized as an "Honorary Member of the Virginia Society of the American Institute of Architects," "Honorary Member of the Richmond Chapter of the American Institute of Architects," recipient of the "Golden Hammer Award" from the Historic Richmond Foundation, the prestigious "Award for Arts Achievement and Excellence" from the International Council of Fine Arts Deans in 2022, and the "Branch Medallion Award" from Richmond's Branch Museum of Architecture and Design in 2023.

In being awarded the Branch Medallion, Eddie was described as "a man whose life's work embodies the spirit of creativity, dedication, and passion for the arts, architecture, and culture. Eddie's contributions have not only enriched our lives but have also left an indelible legacy that will continue to inspire future generations."

Eddie Slipek was predeceased by his mother and father, Elizabeth Holden Slipek and Edwin J. Slipek; and brothers, Thomas Jackson Slipek and Randall Holden Slipek. He is survived by sisters, Elizabeth Tabb Pruitt (Frank) and Margaret Dillard Slipek; and brother, Stephen Lesa Slipek.

Eddie Slipek was a lifelong Member and Elder at Second Presbyterian Church, 5 N. Fifth Street, Richmond, VA, where a memorial service in celebration of his life will be held at 2 p.m. on Saturday, January 24. Interment at Hollywood Cemetery will be private. In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be made to the Second Presbyterian homeless ministry or Historic Richmond.