Richard John Lareau

Richard (Dick) John Lareau, respected San Diego architect and Point Loma community leader, passed away of stroke complications at the age of 94. Dick was a lifelong friend to many, always sharing a smile, a kind word and often a witty nickname if you knew him well. His character and humility had a way of making people feel seen and valued, and for that Dick Lareau was well-admired.

Dick was a resident of the San Diego community nearly 90 years, moving to Chula Vista at a young age with his parents and three older siblings. Their backyard avocado orchard gave rise to his daily breakfast of avocado toast, decades before it was a trendy menu item.

At Sweetwater High School, he was the school photographer, played on the tennis team, and delivered the Union-Tribune’s longest paper route at the time on his bike. He was later inducted into the Sweetwater High School District Hall of Fame. In 1945, he joined the US Navy and spent 3.5 years in the V-5 flight training program.

Following his naval service, he studied at the University of New Mexico, San Diego State University and ultimately received both BA and MA degrees in Architecture from UC Berkeley. He played on the tennis teams at both UNM and Cal, and at SDSU became an active member of the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity. He excelled in fraternity life, later earning several alumni awards and SAE Beta Hall of Fame induction. While at Cal he also served as president of the Architectural Association and received the annual award for outstanding service to the school.

His career in architecture began with prominent San Diego firms Kitchen and Hunt and later Paderewski, Mitchell & Dean, where he worked on one of the world’s first glass elevators at the El Cortez Hotel. He opened his own firm in 1957 specializing in institutional architecture (“and whatever else walked in”), not closing his office until 2021.

His work received many awards for design excellence in both local and national publications. Notable projects include educational buildings at Point Loma Nazarene University, US International University campuses (in the US, UK, Kenya, France, Mexico and Japan), Doyle and McKinley Elementary Schools and many local school & library projects, and three law schools.

His signature circular design motif is evidenced in local works including the Visitors Information Center in Mission Bay, Cal Western’s Little Theater and Pacific Beach Community Church. The circular element also featured in USIU – Nairobi, Kenya, campus structures that included the first adaptations of native tribal designs and the first permanent buildings there built of wood.

He taught architectural history, design and planning for more than 15 years at UCSD and Cal Western and held several leadership positions with the American Institute of Architects. He was regarded among top local mid-century modern architects and had his work profiled on ModernSanDiego.com.

Dick was a very active, lifelong community volunteer. He and his wife of 55 years, Victory Heramb Lareau (an interior designer), lived and worked in Point Loma for nearly six decades. He served 20+ years on the board of the Point Loma Association and produced its humorous annual “What’s New in Point Loma” slide/video show for over 40 years.

One of his most long-standing commitments has been a Junto Group he co-founded based on an example by Ben Franklin bringing a variety of great minds together for community good. Meeting continually for more than 35 years, this group’s membership & speakers have included many of San Diego’s most influential leaders.

He was a longtime board member of the San Diego Air & Space Museum, for many years co-chaired its annual golf tournament fundraiser, and in 2021 was a surprise inductee to the museum’s International Hall of Fame.

Dick was also a founding director of Peninsula Bank, and served with the Historic Site Board, The Committee of 100 in Balboa Park, the original San Pasqual Winery, Wine & Food Society, QED, R&A, and many civic planning boards & commissions.

In 2014, the City and County of San Diego both honored Dick with a proclamation of “Richard John Lareau Day” commemorating his decades of civic service and contributions to the San Diego area.

Dick was a stellar competitor in tennis, ranking highly in the county most of his playing life. His first wife, Jeanne Doyle, was a tennis professional and their children, Vikki and Lance, were also collegiate players. He was an active member at the Valley Tennis and San Diego Tennis & Racquet Clubs and competed in many parent/child tournaments with Vikki, Lance and Lisa. All four of his children played tennis at Pt. Loma High School (Lisa also played collegiately). Dick and Lance also served the tennis community as architects of the Barnes Tennis Center.

He was also a proficient golfer and yachtsman, enjoyed life membership at San Diego Yacht Club and captained the Cal 25 racing fleet, later winning the club’s “Athlete of the Year” title at age 67. Sharing Dick’s interests, son Mark is a yacht broker and part-time sportfishing boat captain. Dick’s other hobbies included travel, stamp and coin collecting, and vegetable gardening. His record-size tomato (2.5-pounds!) amazed his fellow Point Loma Community Garden friends.

Dick had immense pride in his family, including his nine grandchildren, and was the patriarchal favorite uncle for many nephews and nieces. Besides his wife Vickie, he is survived by children Dr. Vikki Lane, Lance Lareau (Lisa), Lisa Traylor, and Mark Lareau; grandchildren Emily Lareau, Julia Traylor, Christopher Lane, Melanie Traylor, Natalie Lareau, Theresa Lane, Karenna Traylor, Nina Lareau, and Isabelle Lareau; brothers-in-law Brent Heramb (Lora) and Brian Heramb (Deby). He is pre-deceased by parents USN LCDR Joseph T. Lareau and Elizabeth Lareau; siblings Joe Lareau Jr. (Anne), Patricia Kyner and Lucille Johnson (Red).

Family will miss many things about “G-pa Dick” - laughing at his own jokes, singing happy birthday telephone messages, eating avocado on everything, plaid Christmas pants (worn every year since 1966), well-meaning tennis and life tips, and endless optimism: “you can do anything!”

Friends are invited to a Celebration of Life on Tuesday, May 17, 2022 from 4-7pm at the San Diego Air & Space Museum in Balboa Park. Donations in his memory may be made to the Barnes Tennis Center or the San Diego Air & Space Museum.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.beardsleymitchell.com for the Lareau family.