College of Architecture shares the passing of a dear friend -Dale L. Gibbs Emeritus Professor of Architecture

It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of our dear friend, Dale L. Gibbs Emeritus Professor of Architecture, who was a colleague, teacher, mentor, friend and so much more to the alumni, students, staff and faculty of the College of Architecture. 

“Dale Gibbs captured the heart of so many of our alumni who were fortunate enough to know him,” said Sharon Kuska, interim dean of the College of Architecture. “Even after Dale retired he continued to give back to our students particularly by establishing the Professor Dale Gibbs Honors Scholarship.”

Dale earned his Bachelor of Architecture with UNL in 1950, and started his employment tenure with the University of Nebraska in 1954 and retired as an emeritus professor in 1996.

An excerpt from Dale’s Obituary:

“At UNL, he served as the chairman of the College of Architecture's graduate committee for many years. Dale taught courses in design, history and theory at the undergraduate and graduate levels. He is perhaps best remembered for engaging his students in design situations with clients and communities, including projects for development of the Omaha Riverfront (1969-72), and the first conceptual plan for Lincoln's Haymarket (1965).) He was director of the London Program in 1973, 1979, 1987 and 1992. In 1979, he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts for his collaborative work with Sir Hugh Casson at the Royal College of Art.

Dale was the recipient of numerous teaching awards from the University Foundation, the UNL Parents' Association, and the Architecture Alumni Association. After retiring, he received the Doc Elliot Award for exhibiting "a record of exemplary service, whose caring has made a difference in the lives of students." He was elected as a Fellow of the American Institute of Architects in 1987 and received the Cunningham gold medal from the Nebraska Society of Architects in 2001.”

So many of us have fond memories of Dale and the cherished time he spent with us. A few years back Dale and some of his students shared some stories of their time during the London Program. A link to those stories can be found here: https://go.unl.edu/xf39

 If you have any memories of Dale, please feel free to share them with us.

Here is a link to Dale’s full obituary. https://go.unl.edu/805n