Daryl Blanchard

Architect and University of Toledo Professor Emeritus Daryl Blanchard passed away on September 30, 2016 in Ottawa Hills, Ohio. He was born in Toledo, Ohio in September of 1934 to generous and loving parents, Clarence and Laura Downs Blanchard. Daryl was educated as an Architect at the University of Notre Dame, the University of Cincinnati and pursued graduate studies at Cornell from 1952 to 1962. While he was a doctoral student at Cornell, he was called to duty to the Army at the time of the Cuban Missile Crisis. Commissioned as an Engineer Officer earlier, he was assigned to the 555 Combat Engineering Group in Germany, leading to a top secret clearance and responsibility for special weapons. Daryl was in academic honoraria in college and held special commendations in the Army: he was very active with the Center for Military History and regularly attended their bi-annual meetings in Washington D.C. He delivered papers on historical aspects of fortification systems as well as the U.S. Army Europe in the Cold War period to the U.S. Army Center for Military History and the Army Historical Foundation as well as the TORCH club of Toledo and the Toledo Post of the American Legion. In 1973 Daryl formed Seyfang Blanchard Associates with Robert Seyfang. Later they were joined by Michael Duket and then Thomas Porter to become Seyfang Blanchard Duket Porter. The firm was responsible for many notable projects at the local level, many at the University of Toledo including Honors Housing and Rocket Hall, and the firm was responsible for interior renovations at the former Levis House. Seyfang Blanchard Duket Porter won over forty local, state and national design awards and their work was published in local and national design magazines. While maintaining a full time architectural practice, Daryl began his teaching career at the University of Toledo in the Community and Technical College at the Scott Park Campus, eventually becoming the Program Coordinator of Architectural Technology, and attaining the rank of full professor in 1978. Daryl continued to teach in the Engineering Technology Department until 2014, specializing in construction materials, construction contracts and building codes. Daryl served as a construction arbitrator and mediator with the American Arbitration Association for more than 40 years. Through his work in design and construction, and his arbitration experience, he was able to give his students examples from the professional world. When teaching contracts and specification he would typically say to the students “these are the not the most stimulating subjects in your career, but they often decide whether you remain in business”. Daryl was a member of the American Institute of Architects, a former board member of the Toledo Firefighters Museum, a former member of the St. Michaels in the Hills Building Fund Committee and the Ottawa Hills Zoning and Planning Commission. Daryl is survived by his wife of 60 years, Phyllis, sons, Christopher (Haida) Blanchard, of Takoma Park, Maryland and John Blanchard of Chicago; two grandchildren, Lila and John Blanchard. Daryl is also survived by his sister, Susan (Toshio) Akamatsu of Tacoma, Washington. Memorial services will be held at 12:30 p.m., Saturday, October 8, 2016 at St. Michaels in the Hills Episcopal Church, 4718 Brittany Road, Ottawa Hills, OH 43615. A memorial gathering will immediately follow in the church hall. Memorial contributions are suggested to the church; Toledo Botanical Gardens, 5403 Elmer Dr., Toledo, OH 43615; The Salvation Army, 620 N. Erie St., Toledo, OH 43604; or Cherry Street Mission, 105 17th St., Toledo, OH 43604. The Blanchard family would like to extend their heartfelt thanks to ProMedica Hospice and all of Daryls caregivers for their loving, compassionate care.