Robert Axt
Robert (Bob) Axt, 90, of Lake Oswego, Oregon, passed away peacefully in his sleep on 16, 2024. He was born in Highland Park, Illinois on November 6, 1933, to Mark Aisner and Ethel Berkson, their only child. He spent much of his youth between Oklahoma and Los Angeles. As a youth he attended Black-Foxe Military Institute in Los Angeles, where he achieved the honor of being selected Class Valedictorian. After attending Reed College in Portland, Oregon, he joined the Marines.
During the Korean War, Bob was stationed in Hawaii where he excelled at sharpshooting, worked on radar systems, and was a world recordholding member of the USMC swim team. After his time in the service he moved to Los Angeles where he apprenticed as a construction contractor and architectural draftsman, and met and married Janice Socia in 1960. While in Los Angeles, they welcomed Kevin and Karen into the world. In 1964 he moved his family to Ukiah, California where their children Kathleen and Keith were born.
In Ukiah, Bob spent most of his professional career as an architect, working with Max Kappler before taking over the firm with Larry Mitchell to form Axt & Mitchell, Architects. Over the course of five decades, he designed hundreds of buildings throughout Mendocino County and beyond, including schools, libraries, wineries, banks, industrial projects and private homes, and he served as the design review architect for the Brooktrails development outside of Willits, CA. His love of solving puzzles and complex problems came together in his work, and his efforts improved the community he called home.
In the second half of his life, Bob married Gladys Ingersoll and spent many years traveling with her before her passing in 2005. Bob was also a passionate supporter of the arts. As a musician, he spent many hours at his piano, and even occasionally performed with the Ukiah Symphony. He also continued swimming into his 80’s, and loved spending time with his family, especially around the dinner table. His latkes, blintzes, and spinach and meatball soup will be missed almost as much as the deep conversations that often took place while enjoying them.
Robert is survived by his former wife, Janice; his children, Kevin, Karen, Kathleen, and Keith; his grandchildren, David, Paul, Tyler, Blake, Luke, Devin, Max, Sam, Chaline and Teah; and his greatgrandchildren, Isaac, Sophia, Chloe, Jeremy, Sofia, Jack and Harper.
In his memory, the family requests that donations be made to the Ukiah Symphony and The Community Foundation of Mendocino County; two organizations that were very near and dear to him.