Robert Alan Ambrose 1938-2016

 

Robert A. Ambrose

January 31, 1938 – February 1, 2016

Robert Alan Ambrose, of Houston, TX, passed away on February 1st, 2016. Bob was born in Ponca City, OK, on January 31st, 1938, to Thelma Kingery and Zuell Ambrose. Before his family settled in Houston in 1954, Bob’s youth was uniquely shaped by life in Evangeline Parish, LA, in Corpus Christi, TX, and Monroe, LA, as well as work on the Kingery family farm in Garfield County, Oklahoma. Bob graduated from Lamar High School, excelling in academics, football, music, and the arts, and received a Bachelor of Architecture from Tulane University, where he also joined Kappa Sigma fraternity and the Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps.

 

After Tulane, Bob entered active duty as an officer in the United States Navy, serving on the destroyer USS Brush deployed to the Western Pacific. Stationed off the California coast, Bob toured the Pacific Islands, Japan, and Korea. Fully expecting to pursue a career as a naval officer, Bob met MaryEllen Zander, of Long Beach, CA, through a mutual friend, and decided that family life was what truly mattered. Filling out the application by hand on a stormy sea, Bob was accepted to the Harvard School of Design, and travelled with his new bride to Boston, where he received his Master of Architecture degree.

 

Bob then brought his new family back to Houston, starting his professional career in 1964 with projects at NASA as a production architect for W.W. Alexander. In 1965 he moved to Freeman and Van Ness and worked on the Bates College of Law at the University of Houston, which received the Texas Society of Architects Honor Award. In 1967, Bob was recruited by Caudill Rowlett Scott, where he rose to Vice President and Senior Design Leader. At CRS, he developed his skills working on numerous education, health, and institutional facilities across the country and close to home, such as the iconic Hyatt Regency atrium in downtown Houston.

 

After moving to Evanston, IL, to help lead company expansion to Chicago, Bob again brought his family back to Houston in 1974, in order to start his own architectural practice and partnership, which he would guide successfully for almost forty years. The firm became well known for its public school and community projects, which were most dear to his heart. He was particularly honored to have served Spring Branch ISD and Houston ISD, Lamar University, Clear Lake Presbyterian Church, Texas A&M, Galveston, UT Health Science Center, and UTMB, to name a few.

 

Bob was known by colleagues for his enormous talent, deep passion, technical proficiency, attention to detail, and unquestionable professional integrity. He was an expert on how to provide artful design and quality service in an economical fashion, since many of his clients had limited budgets. Beyond these skills, he knew how to lead a team and orchestrate other consultants into a coherent and coordinated whole, the essence of what an architect means in the literal sense – “master builder”.

 

For many years, Bob was generous with his time and talents for organizations and causes that he felt strongly about. Mentoring young architects was central to his dedication to the profession, and he served on a number of design juries at UT Austin and Rice University. Bob also served as a long-time board member and agency friend for Neighborhood Centers, Inc., contributing both professionally and personally in order to strengthen community engagement and provide educational and financial opportunities for low-income families. At the agency, Bob was known as a terrific family man, and one who appreciated diversity.

 

Towards the end of his career, Bob developed architectural designs and master planning for the Wonderland/Beatrice Mayes Institute campus. In retirement, Bob continued his involvement with Wonderland, serving as its first board member, mentoring the superintendent through every aspect of the campus expansion, and contributing towards the development of a STEM curriculum.

 

Bob is survived by his brother, Zuell Philip Ambrose, and wife Gretchen Van Slyke; his son Robert Owen Ambrose, and wife Catherine Glauber Ambrose; and son David Alan Ambrose. Bob is also survived by his four amazing grandchildren, Eric Ryan Ambrose, Alexander Brian Ambrose, JoEllen Ambrose, and Mary Charles Ambrose. Above all else, Bob loved and admired his wife, MaryEllen, in what they came to believe was a “miracle of God marriage”. He was tremendously proud and supportive of his children and grandchildren, and will be greatly missed.

 

An inturnment service commemorating Bob’s extraordinary life will be held at 3:00 PM on Saturday, February 20th, at Memorial Oaks Funeral Home in the Botanical Gardens, 13001 Katy Fwy, Houston, TX 77079.