Roy M. Palhof

Roy Martin Palhof, 96, a resident of Keene, NH passed away peacefully, surrounded by the love of his family at Bentley Commons in Keene on Thursday, August 2, 2018, following a period of declining health.

Roy was born Feb 8, 1922 in Jamaica, NY to immigrant parents from Norway and Denmark, Lillie Gertrude Wilson and Anders Martin Palhof.

He credits his grandmother for fostering his lifelong love of art. He showed an early talent for drawing and at an early age he expressed a love of architecture which became a passionate career.

In High School he won both the St. Gaudens Medal for Art in 1939 and Gold Medal for all-around athlete in 1940. Roy graduated from Jamaica High School, Long Island, NY (1940); Cooper Union Architectural School, NYC (1948): and Yale University School of Architecture, New Haven, CT with a Bachelor’s and Master’s in Architecture (1950, 1973).

Roy never ceased to appreciate the art education he received from Cooper Union tuition free. When Japan bombed Pearl Harbor, Roy enlisted in the Air Corps hoping to be a fighter pilot. He became a First Bomber Pilot of B-24s and B17s in WWII, 482nd Bomb Group, 214th Bomb Squad. In that capacity he flew over the north and south Atlantic Oceans, Ascension Island, Africa, Europe, England, Iceland, Canada and US and was stationed in Alconbury, England.

Following World War II, he returned to Cooper Union and then on to Yale School of Architecture. Roy worked as an architect from 1948 until retirement in 1990. His designs ranged from apartments to skyscrapers and included churches, gas stations, banks, libraries, airports, hospitals, and schools.

Roy studied and worked with many famous artists and architects including: I. M. Pei, Lois L. Khan, Eero Saarinen, Joseph Albers, Robert Gwathne, and Sidney Delevante.

Awards are too numerous to list but included President Citation, expert marksmanship, European Theatre and many others. He will be remembered for his insatiable curiosity, uncompromising honesty, love of beauty, resiliency and strength and pleasure in a well prepared and presented meal.

He leaves behind his children with Virginia Starr: Christina Ransom (Stanley), Barbara Palhof, Roy John Palhof (Scarlett), John Lyle Palhof, Ginger Palhof (Scott Brown), his second wife’s (Elaine’s) children: Susan, Christopher and Victoria and numerous grandchildren, great grandchildren, nieces and nephews. He was predeceased (2004) by his wife Elaine Wolcott Andrews Palhof and Virginia O’Brien Palhof Starr (2005).

A Celebration of Roy’s Life will be held at Bentley Commons, 197 Water St. Keene, NH in the Theatre, on Monday, August 6, 2018 from 3 to 4:30pm. A Graveside service will be held on Wednesday, August 8, 2018 in the Monadnock View Cemetery, Park Ave, Keene, NH at 10am.

In lieu of flowers, please make donations in Roy’s memory to: Cooper Union, 30 Cooper Square, NY, NY 10003, cooper.edu, 212-353-4164