William McDowell Jr. ’51

Bill was born June 28, 1929, in Chestnut Hill, Philadelphia. He came to us from St. Andrew’s School in 1947 and served in the Army from September 1950 to June 1952. At Princeton, he majored in architecture and graduated with the Class of 1953, but retained his affiliation with ’51. He belonged to Cottage, played rugby, and roomed with Bill de Rham, Ben Pepper, and Newby Strong. In 1954 he earned a master’s degree in architecture with high honors from the University of Pennsylvania and two years later married Helen “Toby” Duross.

He was a practicing architect for years, designing custom homes in the Philadelphia area, and was one of the first architects to pioneer the “upside-down” house with an oceanfront home he designed in Avalon. He was a long-standing member of the American Institute of Architects, and for 42 years was a member of the First Troop, Philadelphia City Cavalry.

For the last seven years of his life, Bill lived in the Springfield Residence, a memory-care facility in Wyndmoor, Pa. He died Jan. 19, 2015, and is survived by his sons William III, George, Andrew, and Luke; his daughter, Nina Lamb; and their families. His wife, Toby, and their son Ian predeceased him.