Alan Curtis Liddle's Obituary
Alan was born in Tacoma, Washington to Myrtle and Abram Liddle on March 10, 1922 and died peacefully on May 17, 2009 at age 87. He had two older siblings, Dix and Louise, both deceased. Alan displayed an early talent for architecture, designing a model home at age 13 and winning a national award for his design of a dream house at age 18. He started architecture studies at the University of Washington but WWII intervened. After spending three years as a teletype operator he witnessed the end of the war in the streets of Czechoslovakia. Returning to the Pacific NW he continued his architecture studies graduating in 1948. He spent one college summer as a fire lookout on Gobblers Knob inside Mt Rainier National Park, and the next three starting to build his dream cabin on family property near Mt Rainier. To continue his studies in architecture he went to Zurich in 1950 to study at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology. When he returned he got a job as an architectural assistant finishing the Grigg's House which had been started by Frank Lloyd Wright. He was renowned as a gifted architect of the Pacific NW modern style, and designed hundreds of homes an d buildings. His architectural drawings are archived at the University of Washington Tacoma. He received numerous awards for his designs, and was a lifelong member of the AIA serving as president of the SW Washington chapter in 1967. He was a passionate champion of art, history, and historic preservation, serving as a founding member of the Tacoma Art Museum, and creating the Tacoma Landmarks Preservation Commission. He was also a lifelong member of the Tacoma Historical Society who annually bestows the Alan C. Liddle award to a nominee who has contributed to historic preservation. Alan was a warm, refined, eloquent, charming, stylish, and forthright man. He had a disarmingly wry sense of humor and observation. He traveled the world often on architectural tours. He loved his weekend trips to his cherished cabin at Mt Rainier where he was a great host. His wide circle of friends relished his extremely creative Christmas cards. He donated generously to numerous charities and organizations including his house to the Tacoma Art Museum and 12 acres of forest to Mt Rainier National Park. He leaves his niece, Janet Liddle (Pat Kennedy) of Ashford, nephew, David Liddle of Kirkland, his grand niece, Javila Schelhorn of Seattle, his sister-in-law, Mary Liddle of Bellevue, and numerous dear friends. Celebration of Life, May 31, Tacoma Art Museum, 2-4.
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