Robert S Reich

Dr. Robert S. Reich, affectionately known as "Doc," died peacefully on Saturday, July 31, 2010, with family and friends at his side. At Cornell University, Doc earned a bachelor of science degree in horticulture and a doctorate in education. His commitment to the power of education and his strong foundation in plant sciences brought him to Baton Rouge in 1941, where he began teaching at LSU. At LSU, he met and later married Helen Adams, the love of his life. In 1946, he founded the Department of Landscape Architecture. This program grew to be recognized as the No. 1 program in the nation and remains at the top today. In 1979, he received the LSU Foundation Presidents' Award. He holds LSU's highest teaching award, Alumni Professor, and in 1992 was awarded the American Society of Landscape Architect's highest honor, The ALSA Medal. In 1993, he received the Mayor-President's Award for Excellence in the Arts. In 2005, he received ALSA's Jot D. Carpenter Teaching Medal for sustained and significant contributions to landscape architecture education. In 2007, LSU's Landscape Architecture Program, started, shaped, and sustained for more than 65 years by Doc, teacher and mentor, became the Dr. Robert S. Reich School of Landscape Architecture. Later that year, he was awarded membership in the LSU Foundation Laureate Society. A long-time member of University United Methodist Church, Doc for decades prepared a floral arrangement for the altar each Sunday morning. Dr. Reich was preceded in death by his loving wife, Helen Adams Reich; and his parents, Ulysses and Adele Reich. He is survived by his four children, Barbara Freiberg and husband Mickey, Betsy Thomas and husband Newton, Bob Reich and wife Diane, and Bill Reich and wife Ashley. He was blessed with seven loving grandchildren, Katherine Thomas Inzer, Ashley Freiberg Brost, Lindsey Thomas Easterly, Trey Freiberg, Seth Reich, Susanna Reich, and Elizabeth Love Reich; and great-grandchildren, Harper Mae Inzer and James Inzer. A memorial service will held at noon Friday, Aug. 6, at University United Methodist Church, with a celebration to follow. The family wishes to thank the staff at St. James Place for the loving care they gave our father. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the LSU Foundation/Helen Reich Memorial Scholarship, 3838 W. Lakeshore Drive, Baton Rouge, LA 70808 or University United Methodist Church. Doc's compassion and spirit and will continue in the lives of everyone he touched.