2025 -- H 5242

========

LC000889

========

     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2025

____________

H O U S E   R E S O L U T I O N

EXPRESSING DEEPEST CONDOLENCES ON THE PASSING OF FRIEDRICH ST.

FLORIAN

     Introduced By: Representatives Ajello, Shekarchi, Blazejewski, Handy, Tanzi, Boylan,
Speakman, Cortvriend, Potter, and Spears

     Date Introduced: January 30, 2025

     Referred To: House read and passed

     WHEREAS, It is with deep sadness that this House has learned of the passing of

Friedrich St. Florian, a talented artist and admired teacher. He was the beloved husband of Livia

St. Florian for 57 years; and

     WHEREAS, Friedrich St. Florian was born in Graz, Austria, and graduated from the

Technische Universität Graz. Mr. St. Florian came to the United States shortly thereafter through

the prestigious Fulbright Fellowship program, and proceeded to earn a master’s degree in

Architecture from Columbia University; and

     WHEREAS, Mr. St. Florian arrived in Providence in 1963 when he accepted a position to

join the faculty at the Rhode Island School of Design. A move to Rome through RISD proved to

be most fortuitous for Mr. St. Florian as that is where he met the love of his life, Livia. They soon

married, and together, he returned to Providence to continue his academic career at RISD; and

     WHEREAS, A rising star in academia, Mr. St. Florian was selected to serve as the Dean

of Architectural Studies at RISD from 1978 to 1988, and later served as the Acting Provost for

Academic Affairs at RISD from 1981 to 1984. Mr. St. Florian’s distinguished academic career

also included teaching at MIT at the Center for Advanced Visual Studies for several years in the

1970s. In addition to his more than fifty years of teaching and administrative service at RISD, Mr.

St. Florian also, for decades, maintained a thriving architectural practice in downtown

Providence; and

     WHEREAS, Friedrich St. Florian has been described as being the most important Rhode

Island architect of the second half of the 20th century. Mr. St. Florian received many honors

throughout his career and won global competitions against some of the world’s most renowned

architects. Mr. St. Florian had the high honor of having his drawings included in the permanent

collections of the Museum of Modern Art in New York City and the Centre Georges Pompidou,

and the RISD Art Museum. His most significant and lasting achievement was the design of the

World War II Memorial in Washington, D.C., a project he worked on for more than a decade and

something for which Mr. St. Florian was honored and proud to have been a part of creating; and

     WHEREAS, Mr. St. Florian had resided in his adopted home, Providence, for 57 years,

with his wife Livia, and had lived the last 35 years in the home he designed. This beautiful house

and living space was the site of numerous wonderful gatherings and celebrations; and

     WHEREAS, In addition to his wife, Livia, Mr. St. Florian leaves behind his daughters,

Alisia and her husband, Ben Medoff, and Ilaria and her husband, Maarten Kruijtzer, and his five

grandchildren, Julia, Alex, Clara, Thom, and Ellie; now, therefore be it

     RESOLVED, That this House of Representatives of the State of Rhode Island hereby

expresses its deepest condolences to the St. Florian Family; and be it further

     RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and hereby is authorized and directed to

transmit a duly certified copy of this resolution to Livia St. Florian and Family.

========

LC000889

========

LC000889 - Page 2 of 2