Memorial service honors associate architecture professor

Bowls of Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups sat on tables in Pence Hall Tuesday, bringing smiles and memories for those who remembered associate architecture professor Stephen Deger.

Deger, who loved Reese’s Cups, died Jan. 8. He was remembered Tuesday in a memorial service in Center Theater in the Student Center.  The service was followed with a reception at Pence Hall.

Over a hundred people paid their respects to the late professor, including a surprising number of graduates, said Michael Speaks, dean of the College of Design.

“There are students from fourth or fifth generations here,” Speaks said.  “While it’s a sad occasion, it’s a chance for fellowship.”

During the memorial service, Speaks, as well as architecture professor Bruce Swetnam and Father Larry Hehman, discussed Deger’s character and his life.  The floor was then opened to students, colleagues or friends to share stories.

Many of those who knew Deger remembered his dry sense of humor.

“Steve was remembered for his dry wit,” said colleague and architecture professor Dick Levine at the memorial service.  “Between Steve and myself, we could generate a desert.”

In addition to the service, the Kentuckiana Masonry Institute sponsored the Stephen C. Deger Memorial Student Design Competition for students in the School of Architecture, which allowed students to construct a memorial to Deger with no more than 100 modular bricks.

Three teams were chosen to attend the KMI Awards Luncheon in Louisville on April 23, where the places of each team will be announced.  The three individuals who were chosen were Al Ataide, Matt Flamm and Will Pruitt.

In addition to being a professor since 1966, Deger was an undergraduate adviser in the College of Design.

Flamm, an architecture senior, met Deger as his freshman adviser.  His design was shaped as a bridge, reflecting the impact Deger had on students, Flamm said.

“The arch was to reflect how he served as a mentor,” Flamm said.  “ … to show the transition of students from high school to freshman year.”

Brad Arnold, a 2007 UK graduate now living in Seattle, said Deger was the first UK professor he met.

“Deger was the icon of this school,” Arnold said.  “He was a teacher and a father figure in a lot of ways.”

To find out how to donate to the Stephen C. Deger scholarship fund, visit http://www.uky.edu/Design/deger_memorial.html.