Robert Redus Gayle

May 19, 1952 - November 23, 2017

Rob Gayle, architect and capital projects manager at the University of California, died in Riverside, California on November 23, 2017. Rob practiced architecture with several firms in California before joining the University of California in 1990. In his 25 years at Cal, nearly half of them as Campus Architect, Rob managed many high-profile projects, having a profound effect on the look of the UC system’s oldest campus. He then served as Campus Architect at UC Riverside for three years before retiring.

Robert Redus Gayle was born in Lincoln, Illinois, on May 19th, 1952, the eldest child of James Robert Gayle, an educator, and Mary Margaret (Redus ) Gayle, an attorney and community leader. In 1958 the family moved to Indiana and in 1959 to California. Rob graduated from California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo with degrees in architecture and structural engineering in 1980. In 1983 he married Linda Edgar and together they had a daughter, Sarah Edgar Gayle. They divorced in 1987. In 2000 Rob married Mina Vijeh, an artist and architect, and they enjoyed life together until her death in 2009.

Rob traveled extensively, both for work and pleasure. UC work often took him to Japan and he was a fixture at AIA conferences. He toured in Iran, Cuba, Libya, Tunisia, the Georgian Republic, Armenia and China. He treasured his visits to New York City.

Rob is survived by his daughter Sarah Gayle, his first wife Linda Gayle, and two brothers, Bill of San Francisco, and Richard of Portland, Oregon. The family asks that any memorial donations go either to a local food bank or to the California Association of Food Banks.