ROBERT BIOGRAPHY S STANTON, 4 Saturday. Sept 3.1983. mr,Ilrr, 11 Urllint,1,10 ArmB Mor,Itivy Deaths , Pubac Library. - California Roob) Robert Stantoi n, Architect And Civic Lec ider, Dies at 83 Robert Stanton, ptominent Arthitect and civic leader who designed Mon. terey Peninsula College, the Monterey County Courthouse in Salinas, Walter Colton Junlor High School and numer- ous other commercial bulldingl schools and homes in the Peninsula area, died Thursday at his Carmel Val- ley home after a long illness. He was 83. Besides acting as architect for many ; buildings in Monterey County, Mr. i Stanton superviBed construction of homes for such notable as Bob Hope, 2 King C. Gillette, E.L. Doheny, Fred- eric March, and King Vtdor - and, for Douglas Fairbank and Mary Picklord, the famous "Pleklatr" at Beverly Hills. He served as preddent ot the Mon- terey County Symphony Association, the Monterey Peninsula Museum of Art, Communlty Chest, Monterey His- tory and Art Assoclatior, the Old Mon- torey Bicentennial and the Monterey Bay chapter of the American Institute 01 Architects. "He was a man of elegance and style and lent a eertahn old-world quality to our profession." Bald Nathaniel Owings 01 the Ban Francisco architectural firm 01 Skidmore, Owings and Merrin. "He was a great presence, a fine person and a good citizen who contributed much to the comm unity life of Monterey." Born Jan. 16, 1900, In Detroit, Mich., Mr. Stanton was educated in the public schools of Michtgan and California. In 1918 he enlisted in the US. Navy, re- ceiving an honorable discharge In 1919 aw seaman second class. He graduated Illeratd Pholo) ROBERT STANTON ... in 1972 file photo from Manual Arts High School in Los Angeles In 1921, then attended the Uni- ver,Ity of California, School of Engl neering, from 1921-23. On Dec. 8, 1922, he married Virginia Young, whom he met when they Were both working on a stage Ret as Berkeley students. He is reported to have proposed to hia future bride by saying, "For 10 centa ll'd marry you." And she Is reported to have quickly produced a dime from her pocket. r The couple moved to the Peninsula In 1925.. He was a general contractor and de signer of residential work on the Penin sula from 192+28, then look charge of all building supervision for architect Wallace Neff of Pasadena from 1926-29. During this period he supervised con. struction 01 the Gillette, Doheny, March and Vidor homes as well ae "Pickfair." He resumed his studies at the Univer- slty of California at Berkeley In 1930, completing his architectural training in 1933 and in 1934 passed the California State Architectural Examination. From 1934-35 he was associated with , Neff as a partner in cocstruction and presentation to the pubtic of the first pre-fabricated, factory-built house in 0 the west, it was named "Honeymoon Cottage" by Mary Pickford and ar peared on the front page ol the Chris- tiao Science Monitor. But the house w. too far ahead of its time to be placed into mass production. In 1935 he began his own career as an architect by opening offices in the Del Monte Hotel. In 1941 he moved hia of- flees to Los Angeles at the request of ' . the U.S. Government Federal Works Agency, which selected him to dothree hospital additions and to be the consult- ant ona fourth hospital during the war. 1,1 1943 he reopened his office in Pebble Beach, and 10 1946 was selected by the Advisory Board of tile California State Bureau of Hospitals to be its con- sulting architect, a position he held in addition to his by-now large private ar- chltectural practice. In 1946, Mr. Stanton'* name was in- fluded on the Initial roster of hospital architects approved by the American , Hospital Association, Mr. Stanton moved his office te Car- mel in 1948, and shortly thereafter the organization 'grew to approximately 40 persons, many of whom later attajnkd i prominence as architects In their Own i · right. . i .' During 1953-64 he served with the : Senate Interim Committee on Public Works for the state of Callfornia, and acted as consultant to the Natlonal Committee on Hospitals for the Amerl- can Institute of Architects. In 1955 he made an extensive tour of Europe, concentrating on hospita 15 in the Scandinavian countries, and did considerable work at the Army Lan- gua ge School and Fort Ord from 19* 57. He also restored and remodeled the Church of the Wayfarer In Carmel, and in 1967-68 he restored and remodeled St. John's Chapel, Monterey. Among California schools designed by Mr. Stanton are Monterey Peninsula College, David Avenue Elementaty School, Pacific Grove; Monte Vista Elementary School, Monterey; Del Rey Woods Elementary School, Mon- terey ; Pacific Grove Union High School; and schools and school build- Ings in King City, Fresno, Morgan Hill, Petaluma, SInta Cruz, Napa an• Corralitos, He also designed Montemy County Hospital, Salinas Valley Memorial Hos- pital, San Benito County Hospital, and hospitals in Marin County, San Diego, San Bernardlno, Lynwood, Pago Rob les, San Andreas, Mariposa, Modesto and San Rafael. He worked on the design of-the mas- ter plan for the Presidio of Monterey and designed buildings for the Presldio, for Fort Ord and for Hunter Liggett Reservation. He prepared a cultural master plan for Sunset Center in Car- mel in 1975. He deaigned the Normandle Inn In Carmel, the Blbe Bell Beaker in Mon· lerey, and nulnerous homes in Carmel, Pebble Beach, Monterey, Pacific Grove. Hollister, Los Angeles, North Hollywood, Marysville and Palm Desert, as well as his own residence In Carmel Valley, which was in 1949 the subject of an entire Issue of House Beautiful magazine. He also played a large part in the preservation of Monterey adobes and the Fht Brick House as chairman of the Committee on Architecture of the Monterey Htstory and Art Association. In 1972, Mr. Stanton was marnal a fellow in the American Institute of Ar- chilects. the first member of the Mon- terey Bay Chapter of AIA to be so honored. He wae a director of the Calitornia Council of AIA Irom 1959-60 He was atio a member of the Ameri· can Hospital Aasoclation, the Califor- nia Hospital Association, the Assoct· ation of Western Hospitals. the California Association of School Ad- =r= ministrators, the Cypres Point Club. the Old Capital Club, the Monterey Peninsula Country Club the Navy League and lhe American Legion. During Ronald Reagan's first year as governor of California, in 1967, Mr. Stanton was a volunteer member of a special task loree to reduce spending in the execuUve branch. 10 1982, Mr. Stanton and his wife Vir- ginia were honored at a tribute to his lite and work held at the Monterey Con- ference Center, where a musical prn· duction recalled many of the mile- stories in his life, and a featured attraction was the re