Professor Emeritus Donald E. Sporleder, FAIA passed away on May 14, 2021 at the age of 92.
Don was an institution in and of himself. He taught in the Notre Dame architecture program from 1963-1998, influencing generations of graduates. Up until the Covid restrictions, he was still a fixture at School events and celebrations. Last fall he was awarded the highest honor one can receive from AIA Indiana - the Gold Medal Award in recognition of his years of dedicated service not only in architectural education but to society at large through his AIA involvement and other voluntary endeavors.
From 1965 to 1990, Don was involved in a host of impressive projects with his firm, Crumlish/Sporleder & Associates, Inc., Architects, including urban design and downtown renewal in Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, New York and Minnesota. He worked on master plans for University College Dublin, Ireland, Kasetsart University, Bangkok, Thailand, and the West Pakistan Agricultural University in West Pakistan. He's been involved in dozens of community and professional organizations and continued to serve throughout his life.
Don undoubtedly played a critical role in the history of the architecture program at Notre Dame - his enthusiastic and joyful presence will be greatly missed.