2025 -- H 5242
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LC000889
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S T A T E O F R H O D E I S L A N D
IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY
JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2025
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H O U S E R E S O L U T I O N
EXPRESSING DEEPEST CONDOLENCES ON THE PASSING OF FRIEDRICH ST.
FLORIAN
Introduced By: Representatives Ajello, Shekarchi, Blazejewski, Handy, Tanzi, Boylan,
Speakman, Cortvriend, Potter, and Spears
Date Introduced: January 30, 2025
Referred To: House read and passed
WHEREAS, It is with deep sadness that this House has learned of the passing of 1
Friedrich St. Florian, a talented artist and admired teacher. He was the beloved husband of Livia 2
St. Florian for 57 years; and 3
WHEREAS, Friedrich St. Florian was born in Graz, Austria, and graduated from the 4
Technische Universität Graz. Mr. St. Florian came to the United States shortly thereafter through 5
the prestigious Fulbright Fellowship program, and proceeded to earn a master’s degree in 6
Architecture from Columbia University; and 7
WHEREAS, Mr. St. Florian arrived in Providence in 1963 when he accepted a position to 8
join the faculty at the Rhode Island School of Design. A move to Rome through RISD proved to 9
be most fortuitous for Mr. St. Florian as that is where he met the love of his life, Livia. They soon 10
married, and together, he returned to Providence to continue his academic career at RISD; and 11
WHEREAS, A rising star in academia, Mr. St. Florian was selected to serve as the Dean 12
of Architectural Studies at RISD from 1978 to 1988, and later served as the Acting Provost for 13
Academic Affairs at RISD from 1981 to 1984. Mr. St. Florian’s distinguished academic career 14
also included teaching at MIT at the Center for Advanced Visual Studies for several years in the 15
1970s. In addition to his more than fifty years of teaching and administrative service at RISD, Mr. 16
St. Florian also, for decades, maintained a thriving architectural practice in downtown 17
Providence; and 18
WHEREAS, Friedrich St. Florian has been described as being the most important Rhode 19
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Island architect of the second half of the 20th century. Mr. St. Florian received many honors 1
throughout his career and won global competitions against some of the world’s most renowned 2
architects. Mr. St. Florian had the high honor of having his drawings included in the permanent 3
collections of the Museum of Modern Art in New York City and the Centre Georges Pompidou, 4
and the RISD Art Museum. His most significant and lasting achievement was the design of the 5
World War II Memorial in Washington, D.C., a project he worked on for more than a decade and 6
something for which Mr. St. Florian was honored and proud to have been a part of creating; and 7
WHEREAS, Mr. St. Florian had resided in his adopted home, Providence, for 57 years, 8
with his wife Livia, and had lived the last 35 years in the home he designed. This beautiful house 9
and living space was the site of numerous wonderful gatherings and celebrations; and 10
WHEREAS, In addition to his wife, Livia, Mr. St. Florian leaves behind his daughters, 11
Alisia and her husband, Ben Medoff, and Ilaria and her husband, Maarten Kruijtzer, and his five 12
grandchildren, Julia, Alex, Clara, Thom, and Ellie; now, therefore be it 13
RESOLVED, That this House of Representatives of the State of Rhode Island hereby 14
expresses its deepest condolences to the St. Florian Family; and be it further 15
RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and hereby is authorized and directed to 16
transmit a duly certified copy of this resolution to Livia St. Florian and Family. 17
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LC000889
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