Joe Mack Huston

Joe Mack Huston, 77, of Indianapolis, passed away on September 24, 2020 at Ascension St. Vincent Hospital, following a brief convalescence. He was the only child of Wayne Huston and Joann (McDermed) Huston, both of Indianapolis. He was a lifelong resident of Indianapolis, where he maintained his home in the Meridian-Kessler area.

Mack attended PS School #1 and Broad Ripple High School, followed by study at the University of Cincinnati for his BS in Architecture and later a Master in Business Administration. He spent virtually his entire professional career as Assistant State Architect for Indiana. As such, he worked on many state government buildings, both on complete facilities and renovations. He was particularly proud of overseeing the complete renovation of the Indiana War Memorial Plaza in downtown Indianapolis.

Mack was a member of the American Institute of Architects, the Indianapolis Museum of Art, and the Indianapolis Literary Club. He coauthored the book “Indianapolis Architecture” and was awarded the Sagamore of the Wabash by Gov. Frank O’Bannon.

Everyone who knew Mack enjoyed his love of literature, opera, film, and history, especially American and European. He was an avid collector of stamps, art works, music and books. He wrote at great length of a nineteenth century community of his invention, complete with biographical, political, and cultural commentary and, of course, architectural drawings.

Mack championed learning for everyone, the more the better. He taught courses at IUPUI on architecture and its history. He has endowed significant scholarships for students in the architecture program at University of Cincinnati and at the IU Herron School of Art and Design.

Most of all, Mack is remembered by his friends, who cherished evenings spent with him in conversation, often on the phone, in which he wove elaborate and fascinating dialogues. He was dearly loved and is greatly missed by his dog Lucy and his close friends. Contributions in Mack’s honor may be made to the Indianapolis Humane Society. A celebration of life will be held in the spring as he requested.