William Turk Priestley ’29
Bill died on Feb. 10, 1995, in Lake Forest, Ill. He prepared for Princeton at Mercersburg Academy. At Princeton, he was on the Tiger editorial board, was a member of musical clubs, Triangle Club, Two Foot Club (pres.), and Tiger Inn.
After Princeton, his life's work was architecture. He studied at the NYU school of architecture, in Germany under Mies van der Rohe at the Bauhaus, and at Columbia U. school of architecture. He taught at the Design Institute in NYC and helped Mies van der Rohe design the architectural curriculum at the Illinois Institute of Technology. Later, he was professor and chair of the department of architecture at Western Reserve U. in Cleveland. He finally went back to Chicago, where he established his own firm.
His principal interest has always been music, both guitar and jazz cornet. Many of us remember the outstanding jam sessions at our major reunions.
During WWII, he was in the Army Air Force.
His wife, Christabel Wheeler, predeceased him in 1990. He is survived by two sons, William III and Seymour W. To them, the class extends its sincere sympathy.
The Class of 1929
Paw in print
October 2024
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