Obituaries — 2011

Burton Sparer
Burt Sparer, 86, who served communities both international and local as a planner and activist, died on December 23, 2011, in Athens, Georgia.

His family remembers Mr. Sparer as a a tall, charming, likeable, man with a shock of white hair, an affirmative personality, and a big smile who loved to play tennis, play the harmonica, ride his Honda Gold Wing, and read books and news on his computer.

A master's in regional planning from University of North Carolina prepared him for a career in every facet of city and regional planning, from helping plan the proposed port city of Santo Tomas in Guatemala to launching and leading the nine-county Northeast Georgia Regional Commission. He retired in 1985 to start a second career as volunteer planner and community activist.

Mr. Sparer fought to protect green space and to save neighborhoods from big box stores. His advocacy resulted in the building of a neighborhood school and a park. As a trophy for his work in mental health summed it up: "He made a difference."

He is survived by his wife, Dot (Dorothy) Sparer; daughter Lisa Sparer and son David Sparer; sister-in-law Tanya Sparer; and nieces and nephews.

A memorial service was held January 5, 2012, at Congregation Children of Israel. Online condolences may be made at www.bernsteinfuneralhome.com. The family welcomes memorial contributions to any cause that benefits Athens, the city he loved.

Judith A. Martin
Judith Martin, one of the most visible and prolific commentators on the history, growth, and redevelopment of the Twin Cities, died on October 3, 2011, following complications from cancer. She was 63.

She was a tireless advocate for the city," said Minneapolis City Council Member Gary Schiff told The Star Tribune. "She was a bridge from the ivory tower to City Hall and from theory to practice. Everyone should learn her name, because we all live in a better city because of her."

She was a professor of geography and director of the urban studies program at the University of Minnesota. She also sat on the city planning commission for 17 years, eight as chair.

Dr. Martin began her career at the University of Minnesota as a graduate student in 1971. After she joined the faculty in 1975, she held appointments in the American Studies and history departments, as well as the Center for Urban and Regional Affairs. In addition, she was an adjunct professor at the Hubert H. Humphrey School of Public Affairs and a fellow of the law school. She was recognized with numerous teaching and service awards, including the President's Outstanding Service Award in 2009.

She published widely on planning, public policy, and Twin Cities developments. In 1993, she and university colleague Rob Silberman won a Jerome Foundation Book Arts Award for The Gateway. She also created and edited the Metropolitan Portraits book series for the University of Pennsylvania Press.

Dr. Martin is survived by a sister, Maureen Huber; brother, Dennis; and brother-in-law, Philip Huber, as well as by legions of friends, students, and colleagues whose lives were enriched by her passion for the urban experience.

Theodore G. "Ted" Wilding, AICP 
Planner and former APA Board member Ted Wilding died on May 25, 2011.

Formerly deputy planning director for St. Louis County, Missouri, Mr. Wilding was a long-time member of APA and AICP. He was elected to the APA Board of Directors in April 1980 for a four-year term. During his service, he made significant contributions related to APA's governance, strategic planning, member needs assessment, and the National Planning Awards program.

Mr. Wilding also served in a number of roles at the chapter level and was chairman of the Chapter Presidents Council.

He is survived by his wife, Frances, a brother, two children, and three grandchildren. Funeral services were held at at West County Assembly of God in Chesterfield, Missouri, on May 29. Contributions may be made to West County Assembly of God music program.

Friends may sign the family's online guestbook.

Carol D. Cutshall, AICP
Carol Cutshall, a charter member of the American Institute of Certified Planners, died February 12, 2011. She was 72 and a resident of St. Petersburg, Florida.

Ms. Cutshall was a world traveler, sailor, and environmentalist. She had served as director for the bureau of environment in the Wisconsin department of transportation, where she and her environmental policy staff played a major role in developing departmental positions on environmental legislation and administrative rules.

She was active in the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials' (AASHTO) Standing Committee on Environment. In addition, she served as chair of the Transportation Research Board's Committee on Environmental Analysis in Transportation.

Ms. Cutshall is survived by her husband, William R. "Bill" Langlois, two sons, a stepson and stepdaughter, and two grandchildren. A luncheon celebration of her life was held February 24, 2011, for family and friends.

Tributes to her life and work may be found at www.itre.ncsu.edu/ADC10/carol_cutshall.htm.

Alden F. Aust, FAICP
Long-time Omaha, Nebraska, planning director Alden Aust died May 16, 2011, at the age of 94.

The oldest member of APA's Nebraska Chapter at the time of his death, Mr. Aust was the first planning director of Omaha and served in that capacity from 1957 to 1981, through the terms of six mayors.

When Mr. Aust was inducted as a Fellow of the American Insitute of Certified Planners in 2008, his nominators hailed him as "instrumental in elevating professional planning in Omaha, through service as its planning director for 25 years. His visionary initiatives secured the city's long-term financial future, created the framework for the rebirth of downtown, and pioneered growth management. His legacy remains strong through the work of young planners whom he nurtured."

Mr. Aust was preceded in death by his first wife Anne Olson Aust, and his second wife, Elizabeth Wofford Aust. He is survived by three sons, a stepdaughter, and several grandchildren and great-grandchildren. A memorial service was held May 25, 2011, at Lauritzen Gardens. Memorials may be made to Lauritzen Gardens or to the Franz and Mabel Aust Memorial Fund, College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, University of Wisconsin at Madison.

Kent Butler
Kent Butler, a noted environmental plannner and University of Texas associate dean, died on May 13, 2011, while hiking in Yosemite National Park in California. He was 60.

Fritz Steiner, dean of the UT school of architecture, said Mr. Butler was on a family trip and went hiking with his two daughters. When Mr. Butler and a friend stepped aside to allow other hikers to pass, he slipped on the trail and fell to his death.

Steiner said Mr. Butler set the standard for how to conserve a habitat for endangered species through his Balcones Canyon Wildlife Conservation Plan, which preserved thousands of acres for more than two dozen endangered species in Travis County in central Texas.

As a planner, his interests included infrastructure planning and development, metropolitan scale planning and growth management, water resources planning, and innovative methods to protect biodiversity in the context of urban development.

His recent research projects included regional visioning and planning for the Galveston Bay Estuary Program, evaluative studies of the Coastal Erosion Planning and Response Act, feasibility and development of urban rainwater collection systems, and planning assessment of the Texas Urban Triangle as a mega-region.

Mr. Butler was the co-author of Planning for Street Connectivity, a 2003 report from APA's Planning Advisory Service, and a faculty member for APA's audio/web conference, "Designing for Water Conservation."

He is survived by his wife and four children.

George T. Marcou, FAICP
Former APA Deputy Executive Director George T. Marcou died April 28, 2011, in Bethesda, Maryland. He was 82.

Mr. Marcou was born in Cairo, Egypt, and was a graduate of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Those who nominated him as a Fellow of the American Institute of Certified Planners in 2000 noted that he had had four careers in four decades: professor at Catholic University; founder in 1962 of the award-winning firm of Marcou, O'Leary and Associates; Deputy Executive Director of APA in 1979; and Maryland State Planning Commissioner, where he helped define the state's "smart growth" program.

In 1977, he became the first manager of the Community Development Bureau of the Metropolitan Washington Board of Trade, developing policy and action programs for the business community in dealing with public issues.

In 1993, Gov. Schaeffer of Maryland awarded Mr. Marcou the Governor's Award for Professional Excellence and in 1994 appointed him to the State of Maryland Economic Growth, Resource Protection and Planning Commission, where he served until 1999. Mr. Marcou was also a guest lecturer at conferences and universities here and abroad including Denmark, Greece, Italy, and The Netherlands.

Survivors include his wife of 56 years Margaret Carmody Marcou, five children, and 11 grandchildren. He was predeceased by a brother.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be offered May 3, 2011, at St. Jane Frances de Chantal Roman Catholic Church, in Bethesda, Maryland. Burial will follow at Mount Olivet Cemetery, Washington, D.C. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to The Catholic University of America, Attn: Gail Pherris (Memo line: George T. Marcou Lecture Series), 620 Michigan Ave., N.E., Washington, DC 20064.

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