Obituaries
Robert 'Mr. Church' DesLauriers, Architect of the Carlton Hills Lutheran Church 'Hyperbolic Paraboloid', Dies
He was the award-winning architect who designed one of Santee's most visually interesting buildings.
Robert E. DesLauriers, award-winning architect who designed the Hyperbolic Paraboloid feature of the Carlton Hills Lutheran Church in Santee, died Nov. 5, according to a U-T San Diego obituary.
He moved from Illinois to Los Angeles as a child and settled in Hawaii after high school. He joined the Army Air Corp after the attack on Pearl Harbor, and went on to pilot 33 B-17 Bomber missions over Germany.
Bob married Shirley Marie McHenry in Sioux City, Iowa, in 1945. He graduated in 1949 with a Bachelor of Science in Architectural Engineering from the University of Colorado and they settled in La Mesa in 1952.
He began his own architectural company and won an Award of Merit from the American Institute of Architects for the design of the Carlton Hills Lutheran Church in Santee in 1959, which showcases a Hyperbolic Paraboloid. The church still stands on the Santee hillside.
Bob became sought after for the contemporary-modern style exhibited in the design. He became known as "Mr. Church," designing 67 religious projects, along with 150 residential, 187 Navy projects, and 18 public schools.
He served on many councils, committees, boards and participated in many architectural associations.
A memorial is planned for Friday, Dec. 27 at St. Luke's Lutheran Church, 5150 Wilson Street, La Mesa.
It's suggested that donations be made to Honor Flight San Diego, an organization that benefits WWII Veterans.
Read more at U-T San Diego
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