Gene Mackey, III 1938-2016: A Keen Mind, Always Drawing
Date Posted: November 29, 2016
Posted In: News, People,
by Tom Finan, Executive Director, Construction Forum STL
St. Louis lost an architectural treasure Sunday with the death of architect’s architect Gene Mackey, III. But his legacy lives on in the built environment he designed and in the people he inspired.
I am one of those people. I knew Gene, founder of Mackey Mitchell Architects, for over 40 years. Last year, as he was fighting cancer, his office contacted me and said that Gene wanted to have lunch with me. At the time I didn’t know of his illness. From our earliest meetings I had developed a reverence for Gene’s intelligence, for his insight, and for his ability to listen intently and focus on other people. I accepted at once.
Folks who know me closely have heard the story of that two-hour lunch at 1111 Mississippi. I have described it as a “mini-Chautauqua”. We spoke of many things. He talked about the iterative process that his firm uses in design, constantly looping back to incorporate stakeholder feedback and new information in the finished project. And as Gene talked, he drew.
Gene Mackey drew for most of his adult life − a practice he developed from his father, Gene Mackey, Jr.. Gene’s father was an eminent architect, who with Joseph Murphy designed such local landmarks as the Climatron, Queeny Tower, and the Court of Honor at the WWII Memorial.
In 1958, as a sophomore in liberal arts at St. John’s University, in Collegeville, MN, Gene, III toured Europe with his father. Gene Mackey, Jr., who had taught history and studied European architecture, decided to sketch and make notes on what they saw in lieu of taking a camera. Gene compiled his father’s drawings into a book “Impressions of a European Journey,” which he published in 2013.
On the frontispiece of the book is a photo of Gene Mackey Jr. along with his admonition to his son, “Never stop drawing.” Gene, III never did.
On his return to the U.S., Gene, III decided to move to Washington University and switch majors to architecture, despite his father’s reservations that he not rush into a career in architecture. He the studied at the Harvard Graduate School of Design.
Gene Mackey, Jr. died in 1968. In 1969, after a brief association with Murphy & Mackey, a 29-year-old Gene Mackey, III founded what was to become Mackey & Mitchell. The architecture produced in the 48-year history of that firm was, above all, thoughtful — respectful of the context in which it was being created and the people who would use it.
In a statement from the firm, Dan Mitchell, FAIA, Gene’s longtime business partner and close friend, said, “Gene instilled an entrepreneurial spirit in all of us who had the opportunity to work with him. He always viewed the firm as a platform, or a stage to perform. Gene provided the opportunity for me to truly be energized about the firm and the profession I have chosen. His perspective helped shape the community we all live in. For me, these extraordinary contributions start with a strong sense of self and the ability to lead others. He drew out the best from all of us. I am a better person today as a result of Gene’s influence. I have lost a mentor, a business partner, but most important, my best friend.”
Former St. Louis Post-Dispatch architecture critic Robert Duffy once wrote about Gene, “What distinguishes his work is elegance, confidence, gravity, an understanding of the eloquence of understatement and an appreciation of beauty and utility, along with generosity, humanity and grace.”
Gene understood the concept of service, and was named a fellow in the American Institute of Architects for his years of giving back to his city and to his profession. Besides receiving many honors and awards he served on wide range of civic boards.
But what he will most be remembered for is his focus on relating to people as individuals. His demeanor brought to mind C.S. Lewis’ commentary on humility: “Do not imagine that if you meet a really humble man he will be what most people call ‘humble’ nowadays… Probably all you will think about him is that he seemed a cheerful, intelligent chap who took a real interest in what you said to him… He will not be thinking about humility: he will not be thinking about himself at all.”
My “Chautauqua” lunch with Gene ended with a “homework assignment” (his words) for me. He asked that I buy and read two books. One was “The Boys in the Boat,” a recent bestseller about the 1936 University of Washington crew team that medaled in the Olympics held in Nazi Germany just before WWII.
The second was an obscure biography “Brookings: A Biography“, published in 1936. It is the story of a successful salesman of wooden spoons and buckets in the late 19th Century. In his ’30s Robert Brookings revolutionized logistics by building the integrated rail/road/river Cupples warehouse complex in downtown St. Louis. He went on to lead the effort to begin building Washington University’s current campus and to found what is today BJC’s Kingshighway campus. After ramrodding the quartermaster’s office for Woodrow Wilson in Washington during World War I, he founded the Brookings Institution.
While both books were fascinating, I failed to see the connection between them at the time. Now, contemplating Gene’s contribution to his profession, to our region, and to myself personally, I think I understand the message. The Washington State crew team was a group of disparate individuals who had to discard the notion of “self” in order serve the common good and to achieve victory. Robert Brookings, in a addition to epitomizing the concept of servant leader, was a master at bringing together various individuals and interests in order to attain a higher objective.
Gene’s life — as well as his “reading assignment” for me — brings to mind the mission statement of the Forum, “Building the St. Louis region’s tomorrow, through inclusive engagement, unbiased communication, and focused action.”
I am grateful for the brief opportunities I had over the years to learn from a master, and for all Gene Mackey, III has done for our industry and our region.
Visitation for Gene is scheduled for noon to 5 p.m. Sunday at Lupton Chapel, 7233 Delmar Boulevard in University City. His funeral and burial will be private.
Among the survivors are his wife, Ann; two daughters, Elizabeth Perrin of St. Louis and Augustine Shodeen of Dallas; two sons, Philip Mackey and Eugene Mackey IV of St. Louis; stepchildren Clint Whittemore, Barbie Mattie and Katie McAllister; and a sister, Ellen Mackey, of St. Louis.