Update: Friday, August 28, 2009 9:00 a.m.

Click here for the online obituary from the Opelika-Auburn News.

Update: Thursday, August 27, 2009 4:00 p.m.

Obituary for D.K. Ruth

Dennis K. (D.K.) Ruth of Auburn, died Wednesday, August 26, 2009 at his home. Born on July 13, 1944 in Cleveland, Tennessee, D.K. was the son of the late Catherine and Earl Kyle Ruth. He is survived by his wife, Linda Cain Ruth, his sons, Alex and Phillip of Auburn; daughter, Shelley Ruth, of Ft. Lauderdale, Florida; son Jeff and daughter-in-law, Carla, and granddaughter Peyton of Dallas, Texas; sisters Karen Hatcher of Atlanta, Tanya McDonnell of Orlando and Pam Ledford of Cleveland, Tennessee and his granddog, Charlie.

D.K. earned a Bachelor of Architecture from Auburn University and a Master of Architecture from Harvard University, Graduate School of Design. After practicing architecture and teaching at Mississippi State and the University of Tennessee, he returned to his alma mater in Auburn in 1989 as a Professor in the School of Architecture. He later served as both the Head of the Department and as the Interim Dean of the College of Architecture, Design and Construction.

The focus of his life was his home and family. He was in all ways and always a very gifted architect and teacher. His life was one of spirit, love, service and support for his students, communities and people.

In 1992, D.K. co-founded the Rural Studio in south Alabama with long-time friend and colleague Samuel (Sambo) Mockbee. In recent years, Professor Ruth conceived, created and implemented the College of Architecture Design and Construction’s Design-Build Graduate Program. D.K. was a highly regarded speaker on context-based education and socially-conscious design, both nationally and internationally. He was the recipient of over twenty teaching and design excellence awards, including the Algernon Sydney Sullivan award for service to humanity.

He touched and enriched the lives of many using his homespun manner to convey his wisdom with patience for and understanding of others. It is hoped that all will celebrate his wonderful, accomplished life and the way he lived it, with joy and caring for others.

A Celebration of Life dinner for family, friends and students, both past and present, will be at the Ruth’s home at 2249 Wire Rd. at 6:00 p.m., Saturday, August 29. Receiving of friends will be at the Founder’s Chapel of Auburn United Methodist Church at 220 E. Magnolia from 2:00 to 4:00 on Sunday, August 30. The funeral service will be held at 4:00 in the sanctuary at AUMC with burial services immediately following at Town Creek Cemetery in Auburn.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that contributions be made to the Auburn University Foundation for the D.K. Ruth Memorial Scholarship Fund, Attn: Gift Accounting, 317 South College Street, Auburn, AL 36849.

Update: Thursday, August 27, 2009 2:00 p.m.

The service for D.K. Ruth will be held on Sunday, August 30, 2009 with visitation from 2:00 – 4:00 p.m. in the Founder’s Chapel, Auburn United Methodist Church, 220 E. Magnolia Avenue, Auburn, AL 36830; 4:00 p.m. service in the main sanctuary; burial to follow at Town Creek Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that contributions be made to Auburn University Foundation for the D.K. Ruth Memorial Scholarship Fund, Attn: Gift Accounting, 317 South College Street, Auburn, AL 36849.

Wednesday, August 26, 2009

Statement from College of Architecture, Design and Construction Dean Dan Bennett:

“I am truly saddened to tell you that Professor D.K. Ruth passed away on the evening of August 25. I speak for all our faculty, staff and students in expressing profound sadness…he was a friend, colleague and esteemed teacher and architect who served Auburn in many, many capacities. We will all miss him more than words can express.”

The college will provide updates on this page as more information becomes available.

DESIGN COMPETITONS

Alagasco: 1st place - Michael Shows; 2nd place (tie) - Scott Smith & Candice Rimes

PELLA/J.F. Day Design Competition: 1st place - Michael Shows; 2nd place - Scott Smith; Honorable Mention - Nic Henninger & Amanda Galanga

Alabama Concrete Masonry Institute: 1st place - Johannes Ubben; 2nd place - David Frazier; 3rd place - Nourah Said; Honorable Mention - Clay Wilks, Franklin Frost, Corey Moulton, Jared Weaver, Ed May, Andrew Owens; Courageous Model Award - Michael Casey; Courageous Drawing Award - John Burleson; Collaborative Achievement Award - Dennis Eldridge

Alabama Forestry Association: 1st place - Kendra Ayers; 2nd place - Yesufu Oladipo; 3rd place - Bob Benner; Honorable Mention - Doug Bacon, Brandon Block, Tina Maceri

AIAS & AARP National Student Design Competition: 3rd place finish in national competition - Kristy Swann

ARCHITECTURE SCHOLARSHIPS

Fred Renneker, Jr. and Bill Renneker Endowed Scholarship: Scott Smith

James Richard Wilkinson Memorial Scholarship: Michael Shows

2009 Architecture Faculty & Staff Scholarship: Michael Shows

Frank J. Sindelar Endowed Scholarship: Nicholas Henninger, Brian Sickles, Peter McInish, Doug Bacon, Amanda Galanga

James Freeland Reeves Memorial Scholarship: Morgan Anderson

William T. Warren & William T. Warren, Jr. Endowed Scholarship: Ashley Clark, Nicholas Purcell, William Gregory

Frances & Gordon W. Holmquist Endowed Scholarship: Jennifer Smith, Candace Rimes

Paul Fraser Memorial Scholarship: David Frazier, Benjamin Johnson

W.S. Ball Scholarship: Kyle Johnson

Southern A&E Annual Scholarship: Eric Kessler, Mallory Garrett

Jenkins Brick Scholarship: Damien Bolden

R. Mack & Jamie Freeman Scholarship: Johannes Ubben

Seay, Seay & Litchfield Annual Scholarship: Jeremy Cutts

Timothy Andrew Smith Annual Scholarship: Michelle Tucker

Alabama Architectural Foundation Scholarship: Telisa Jemison

Cooper Cary Architects Annual Scholarship: Philip Ewing

Montgomery Chapter Construction Specifications Institute Scholarship: Yesufu O’Ladipo

Jova/Daniels/Busby Annual Scholarship: Jarrod Winslett

Friends of Will Sturges Endowment: Susan Fagg

Narrows Scholarship Fund: Daniel Roppoli

Freshman Diversity Scholarship: Ashley Pate & Kyle Johnson

Architecture Year Level Book Awards:
1st year - Damien Bolden; 2nd year, Truitt Studio - Rebecca Hayes; 2nd year, Faust Studio - Hunter Dyas; 2nd year, Dagg - Gorham Bird; 3rd year, Cook Studio - Jarrod Winslett; 3rd year, Burleson Studio - Jared Weaver; 3rd year, Fulton Studio - Kristy Swann; 3rd year, Zorr - Mike Casey; 4th year, Miller Studio - Daniel Beeker; 5th year, Nakhjavan Studio - Brandon Rainosek; 5th year, Garmaz Studio - Nick Wickersham

Robert Lovett Memorial Book Award: Tanner Backman

INTERIOR ARCHITECTURE SCHOLARSHIPS

Blackwell Prize in Drawing & Painting: 1st place - Jennifer Isenburg; 2nd place - Brandon Rainosek

Roger W. Rindt Memorial Scholarship: Amy Cook, Golpar Garmestani, Jennifer Smith, Nick Wickersham

Charles Mount Travel Award: Jamie Satory

Interior Architecture Year Level Book Awards:
3rd year - Sarah Hunter; 4th year - Michael Shows; 5th year - Jennifer Isenburg; Summer Thesis Award - Tyler Johnson

Gaines T. Blackwell Book Award: John Plaster

LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE SCHOLARSHIPS

Don Logan-Southern Progress Endowed Scholarship: Shelby Newman, Will Hargrove

Jack Williams Scholarship: Matt Biesecker

Barge Waggoner Sumner and Cannon Design Excellence Award: Philip Shell

Alabama ASLA Scholarship: Josh Lamberth

ASLA Design Awards: Award of Honor - Sean Henderson; Award of Merit - Matthew Capps

Sigma Lambda Alpha Honor Society: Rajesh Sawant, Lauren Harvard, O’Neal Crawford, Matthew Capps, Joao Vasques, Matthew Greene; New Inductees, MLA III - Patrick Tillman, Domenic Henderson, William Trowbridge; New Inductees, MLA II - Matt Biesecker, Clarence Craft, Josh Lamberth

Year Level Book Awards:
MLA I - Tyler Smithson, Dan Ballard, Mark Curry; MLA II - Matt Biesecker, Josh Lamberth; MLA III - O’Neal Crawford, Joao Braz

COMMUNITY PLANNING SCHOLARSHIPS

Arch R. Winter Scholarship in Community Planning: Liz Geare, Meaghan Lee, Stephen Stock

Donald James Cosby Memorial Award in Community Planning: Chris Kearns

Year Level Book Awards:
1st year - Mona Scruggs, Samantha Hitchcock; 2nd year - Derong Mai, Ben Krauss, Stacey Taylor, Melanie Duffey; AICP Outstanding Student - Mac Martin

MERIT AWARDS & MEDALS

SoAR Writing Award: Undergraduate - April Brown, Eric Hutchinson; Graduate - Stacey Taylor, Alan Neely

Alpha Rho Chi Medal: Taylor Massey

American Institute of Architects Certificate of Merit: Sandra Wolf

American Institute of Architects School Medal (tie): Nick Bonifay, Michael Claborn

E. Walter Burkhardt Award(tie): Nick Pica, Michael Claborn

Students in the School of Architecture International Studies Program, in collaboration with the University of Arkansas and Philadelphia University, are having their work featured in an international exhibit in the main hall of the Museum at Trajan’s Market (Mercati Di Traiano) in Rome, Italy, this week. The three universities participated in a workshop charrette, spending 10 days in an intensive architecture and urban design project. The teams of 12 students produced proposals for a new entrance to Trajan’s Market and ancient excavations, along with a connection to the new Metro Line C stop that will be constructed in the area. The exhibit, which opens today, features the 12 team solutions including the drawings and boards created during the project. The venue for the exhibition and reception is the recently reopened renovation of the museum at Trajan’s Market, so the work will be exhibited in close adjacency to the site on which the students were working. The Market and the museum it now contains are part of the forum built in the second century by the Roman Emperor Trajan.