Final Salute

Robert Henry Armsby, 86, of Wilsonville, Oregon, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, September 23, 2025, surrounded by family and caregivers.

Robert, or “Bob”, was born on October 4, 1938, in St. Louis. He grew up in Washington, D.C., before attending Cornell University, Oberlin College, and MIT, earning a Bachelor of Architecture in 1962, and Harvard, where he earned a Master of Architecture and Urban Design in 1968. Bob served as a Lieutenant in the U.S. Navy Civil Engineer Corps from 1962 to 1965, and he was the Officer in Charge of Construction on Guam.

Bob joined a leading architecture firm, Skidmore, Owings & Merril, and enjoyed a decades-long career leading several notable urban projects that formed city skylines and housed corporate headquarters or landmark hotels, both in the U.S. and abroad. Later in his career, Bob enjoyed working independently on design review boards for distinguished communities and clubs, such as The Preserve in Carmel, CA, and Pronghorn in Bend, OR, where he could combine his design expertise with his passion for golf.

Bob leaves behind a great legacy of kindness, analytic rigor, community service, and an appreciation of the arts and nature. He loved music and was a great supporter of the symphony groups on each of the stops along his life’s journey. Bob was known as an active community member and problem solver, from his early days on the Orinda, CA planning commission all the way through his days at SpringRidge in Wilsonville, OR, where he always had a running list of projects he would lead to better his community. Bob found joy outdoors, particularly around water, whether at a pool or the ocean. He was dearly loved and will be missed by his family, who he supported passionately.

Bob is survived by his former wife, Mary Louise; his sons, David (Molly) and Michael (Aimee); his grandchildren, Zachary (Adyla), Ashley (Tobin), Harrison, Brooke, Isabelle, and Madeline; his great-granddaughter, Lola; and his sister-in-law, Judy, and niece, Kari, in Hawaii. He was preceded in death by his niece, Wendy, his brother, Rick, and his grandson, Matthew.

A family memorial service will be held at the Cathedral of Light, Oakland, CA. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to Alzheimer’s Association in Bob’s honor.

Rest in peace, Bob.
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