Thomas Gordon Smith

Thomas Gordon Smith obituary

Thomas Gordon Smith of South Bend died on June 23, 2021. Mr. Smith was born April 23, 1948, in Oakland, CA, to Sheldon Wagers and Margaret Prendergast Smith. Thomas is survived by his wife Marika Wilson Smith; they were married on December 19, 1970 in Livermore, CA and recently celebrated their fiftieth wedding anniversary. He is also survived by his sister Sharman (George) Wilson, his brother Michael Smith, his brothers-in-law Leslie, George, and Peter Wilson, and his sister-in-law Tasia James. He was a loving father to Alan McIntyre (Ming-Yi) Smith, Stuart Wagers (Katie) Frederich-Smith, Demetra Canna (John) Schoenig, Andrew Wilson (Marie) Smith, Rev. Innocent Smith, O.P., and Duncan Ricker (Abby) Smith. He was the grandfather of ten beloved grandchildren: Cormac James Schoenig, Mina Chuang Smith, Thomas Alfred Schoenig, Wilson Wagers Frederich-Smith, Mei Chuang Smith, John Francis Schoenig, Jonah Seaborn Smith, Seraphina Martine-Marie Smith, William Cohen Frederich-Smith, and Marika Annia Smith (†).

Thomas earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in painting at the University of California, Berkeley in 1970 and then turned to the study of architecture, receiving the Master of Architecture degree from Berkeley in 1975. After early projects in a Postmodern style, Smith deepened his knowledge of classical architecture as a Rome Prize Fellow at the American Academy in Rome from 1979-1980 and participated in the Venice Biennale of 1980. Thomas gained experience teaching architecture at the College of Marin, University of California, Los Angeles, the Southern California Institute of Architecture, Yale, and the University of Illinois at Chicago before becoming chair of the School of Architecture at the University of Notre Dame from 1989-1998, where he continued to serve as a professor through 2016. He was deeply committed to his students and was delighted to see them flourish at architectural firms and universities throughout the world. In addition to receiving teaching awards at Notre Dame, in 2017 Smith received the Arthur Ross Award for his lifetime contributions in the field of education. Thomas undertook extensive research in classical architecture and early American furniture and architecture; his publications include the monographs Classical Architecture: Rule and Invention (1988) and Vitruvius on Architecture (2003) as well as numerous articles and book chapters. Smith led an independent architectural practice through 2015; major projects included Our Lady of Clear Creek Abbey (Hulbert, OK), the Classical Galleries in the American Wing at the Metropolitan Museum of Art (New York, NY), Our Lady of Guadalupe Seminary (Denton, NE), the Cathedral City Civic Center (Cathedral City, CA), and private residences in California, Wisconsin, Illinois, North Carolina, and Indiana. Local projects at Notre Dame include the addition to Bond Hall, the Cedar Grove Mausolea, and Carole Sander Hall. He served as a Board Member for the Society of Architectural Historians, the San Francisco Architectural Club, the Society for Catholic Liturgy and the Institute of Classical Architecture and Art. From 2006-2008, Smith served as Architectural Fellow for the United States General Services Administration. His personal interests included gardening, film, dance and music.

Visitation will be held from 5:00 pm until 8:00 pm on Monday, June 28 at Kaniewski Funeral Home (3545 N. Bendix Dr., South Bend, IN 46628), with the Rosary recited at 5:30 pm. A Funeral Mass will be offered at the Basilica of the Sacred Heart at Notre Dame at 3:30 pm on Tuesday, June 29, with burial following at Cedar Grove Cemetery. All are invited.  To send online condolences, please visit www.kaniewski.com.

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