Richard Bollwinkel Stringham

On a beautiful Sunday afternoon on March 29, 2020, at the home that he designed and built, Richard Bollwinkel Stringham took his final breath as he fulfilled his mortal mission.  Richard was born on July 2, 1924 to Richard Haven Stringham and Natolia Bollwinkel in Bountiful, Utah.  He was the second oldest of five children and grew up in a loving home where no unkind words were ever uttered.

He graduated from Davis High School in 1942 and was drafted in the United States Army in June of 1945. It was through his service in the military that he fell in love with architecture and aspired to the design of Frank Lloyd Wright.  Upon his return from the military, Richard enrolled at University of Utah and was in the first graduating class of 1952 in Architecture.  His dream was to be an apprentice for Frank Lloyd Wright to which he applied for and was accepted but chose to attend to the needs of his family as he valued family above all else.  In 1953, another dream was fulfilled as he became a member of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir to which he was a proud member for 24 years. Singing gave him great joy and he would often say that nothing brought a person closer to the spirit of God than that of music.  Richard traveled all over the world with the choir and was in the first group to enter Europe. 

In 1955, possibly the greatest love story ever told began as he spotted a beautiful brunette walking down the street in Salt Lake City.  In an attempt to not let her escape, he followed her to her place of business and asked for her number.  Three years later, he married the love of his life, Annette Brock on June 5, 1959 in the Salt Lake Temple by Ezra Taft Benson.  Their sweet relationship was something we all witnessed and aspired to.  It was through this example that we learned what true love really was. 

In 1956, Richard became a licensed Architect in the state of Utah and partnered with his dear friend Ashley T. Carpenter, opening a firm known as Carpenter Stringham Architects which is still in business today.  Over the course of nearly 60 years, he completed 400 projects – including banks, hospitals, government buildings, schools, churches and higher education buildings.  Most notable were the Fletcher Physics Building at the U of U, the George S. Eccles building at USU, the remodel of the North Visitor Center on Temple Square, the Distribution Center for American Greetings, and the beloved Berry Springs Ranch in Hurricane, Utah. 

Richard was on the Bountiful Planning Commission and Board of Directors for Valley Bank and South Davis hospital.  He loved to serve his community and find ways to create beauty and love wherever he went. 

Richard was a sculptor, an inventor, a designer, a writer, a health and nutrition enthusiast and a gifted singer. However, of all his gifts and accomplishments, he valued his family above all else.  Family was everything to him and he reveled in every moment they were altogether.  He was the voice of reason, the calm within the storm and the glue that held us all together.

He served in many capacities in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints including a counselor in the bishopric and gospel doctrine teacher, just to name a few.  Richard was a noble, humble, and faithful man with strong convictions in the Savior Jesus Christ.  He believed in the goodness of the human spirit and although he was never able to serve a mission, he made his life his mission.  Richard was the very essence of love.  Just by being in his presence, you felt his love and the love of the Savior.  He never raised his voice or said an unkind word about anyone.  He believed that our earthly mission was to learn to love everyone and that he did.  In his final years, he devoted his time to writing a book on this very topic titled, “Love’s Divine Artistry” stating on the cover that “Our lives become a beautiful work of art when we live God’s glorious gospel of love.”  His life was truly an artistry of love. 

He is survived by his sweetheart Annette of 60 years, Julie (Tracy) Crowell, Rick (Jenni) Stringham, Jill (Crisy) Stringham, Robyn (Pascal)Meyer, brother Stan (Sharon) and many grandchildren and great grandchildren.  Preceded in death by his parents, Richard and Natolia, and siblings – Maurine, Fred and Ada.

A graveside service will be held on Friday, April 3 at the Bountiful Cemetery for immediate family.  A celebration of his life will be announced at a date to be determined. 

Please send cherished thoughts, feelings and memories to annettestringham1248@gmail.com.

In lieu of flowers – please carry on his legacy of love by having a forgiving heart and loving and serving your fellowmen.  “To love is a beautiful winged art by which we may ascend to the realms of divine light.” – R.B.S.