Richard E. Toth

April 13, 1937 - January 3, 2018

Richard Eugene Toth passed away peacefully on January 3, 2018, surrounded by his family.  Richard was born on April 13, 1937 to Anna Horvath and Joseph Toth in Trenton, New Jersey.

Richard was blessed with a loving family and vibrant career.  Richard and his wife, Diana Lynn Ives, lovingly celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in April 2016 together with their children, grandchildren, and other family members and close friends. Richard and Diana were married on May 14, 1966 in Trenton, New Jersey.  Richard is survived by Diana, his children, Justin (Kathleen Weron) and Erica (Greg Walker), and his five beloved grandchildren, Nicholas, Andrew, Wren, William and Tristan. 

Richard and Diana shared a love for the mountains and the landscapes of the West, and they raised their children and grandchildren to marvel at the beauty and wonder of the natural world around them.  A gifted and avid fly fisherman, Richard treasured his time spent on the rivers throughout the West.  He shared this passion with his friends, grandchildren and son-in-law, with whom he spent many days wading through Utah's rivers.  Every member of Richard's family can recount tales of long walks through the mountains and deserts of Utah with him, engaged in conversations punctuated with wisdom and love.  These memories will be with us all.  Always.    

Richard's career was dedicated to teaching in his chosen field of Landscape Architecture & Environmental Planning.  He graduated with a Master's in Landscape Architecture from Harvard University's Graduate School of Design in 1963.  He then joined the faculty at the University of Pennsylvania's Department of Landscape Architecture where he taught until he returned to Harvard, joining the faculty in the GSD in 1968.  After teaching there for five years, Richard and Diana followed their hearts to the West and Utah State University in 1973.  Richard joined Utah State University's faculty and served for many years as the Chair of the Department of Landscape Architecture & Environmental Planning, guiding it through growth and national prominence.  He retired after 50 years of teaching in 2014 with a lengthy list of accomplishments and awards, but more importantly, an even longer list of colleagues who called him professor, mentor, guide and friend.

A celebration of Richard's life will be held on Tuesday, January 9, 2018 from 6:00 to 8:00 pm at Starks Funeral Parlor, 3651 South 900 East in Salt Lake City.  Guests are encouraged to use the complimentary valet parking on the north side of the building.  Funeral Mass of the Resurrection is scheduled for 12:30 pm on Wednesday, January 10, 2018 at The Cathedral of the Madeleine, 331 East South Temple, Salt Lake City.  Interment will follow immediately thereafter at Mt. Calvary Cemetery at 4th and T Street, Salt Lake City.       

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you make a donation to the Utah Rivers Council at utahrivers.org.  

In Loving Memory

I am sorry to hear of your loss. I think of you and Gracie when I see a therapy dog. Cora loved the time she spent seeing people.with the therapy dogs.

Kim Sullivan

Logan, Ut

Thinking of you during this difficult time Diana & family. Our thoughts are with you. Love to all Dickie, Deb, Jen,

Clement & Debra Ives

Jacksonville, Fl

My wife Laura and I were sorry and shocked to hear of Richard's passing, and our sincere condolences go out to you Diana, and your family. I first met Richard when he came out to the Landscape Architecture Department in 1972 as a visiting lecturer. He had all the very impressive cool of an East Coast Harvard professor, but was also completely approachable and I found quickly, also very funny. He then returned to join the faculty in 1973, my Senior year. Although a no- nonsense educator and stern taskmaster, he helped me with great patience (I passed!), stumble through regional design using the brand new and daunting(to me) computer "punchcards." I firmly believe he was very instrumental in some of my classmates phenomenal success out in the professional world. Sharp as tack, he epitomized to me, East Coast professional sophistication and Western cool competence--a planner's planner. Not only was he a brilliant professor, but as I increasingly discovered he was also brilliant designer in his own right--a designer's designer. He helped me understand so much about "planning" and how it was inseparable from classic Landscape Architecture as a practice and profession. His work on the Brandywine study (that '72 lecture!) still comes into my mind after all of these years--"the concept of preserving view corridors!" Years after graduation, I would run into him different places in Logan and he would always give me that amused, mirthful smile and would ask what I had been doing and then would always take time to talk. At one of these impromptu meetings years ago, he told me once about a hawk that had been severely wounded and lived by the compost pile and slowly but surely got nursed to health by you Diana, tears welling up in his eyes, I think from his profound respect for you. Most recently, when I was dealing with a vexing local City Council and planning problem, he took time to meet with me numerous times to council me on various strategies (still the professor!). He was a very early inspiration in my professional life and I have always felt very proud and lucky to know a designer of his stature and to know him also as a kind,compassionate friend. I'm so very sorry for your loss and that he's gone, but man, what an individual...what a marvel he was.

Bob Bissland and Laura Fisher

Providence, UT

I was sorry to learn about the passing of Professor Toth. I also started my career on the faculty (sociology) at USU in 1973 but retired two years before Professor Toth. He was highly respected by faculty in University's many disciplines. Over our years I constantly heard students rave about him as a teacher. He was an outstanding teacher, administrator and colleague.

Mike Toney

BELLINGHAM, WA

Diana and Family, Please accept my wife Jan's and my sincerest condolences on Dick's passing. I will always treasure the opportunity I had to work with Dick at USU and looked up to him as an outstanding scholar and mentor.

Michael Butkus

Hyde Park, Ut

Hello Toth Family. I'm sorry to hear of your father/husband's death. Your dad was such a cool guy in our Logan, UT neighborhood. He was always kind—as was Mrs. Toth (Diana)—to me as a young kid-teen. Erica, I remember fondly one time when you and I visited your dad at work (USU). He walked us around his department a bit and showed us some interesting design work his students did as an assignment. Love & hugs to all, Angela Thomson-Brenchley

Angela Thomson-Brenchley

Colton, CA, nan

I was privileged to be an undergraduate LAEP student when Professor Toth came to USU. He was instrumental in introducing me to computer programming and helped create the bridge to my career success. If he had not been at USU, I would not have considered applying to the Graduate School of Design at Harvard (I didn't even know where it was, although I knew of it's reputation). Having him as a professor helped me have the confidence and courage to expand my horizons, and by doing that, he empowered my siblings and others that my life has touched too. That's what a great teacher does. Without him, I would not have had the experiences, life, and career I have enjoyed. My condolences on his passing.

Renee Tietjen

Vienna, VA

I am very sorry for your loss and I will truly miss him. I knew Dick as a graduate student then later as a professional colleague...but I am pretty sure I wouldn't have had the career I had or the success if I hadn't met him 40 years ago. I still find myself defining planning and landscape architecture in terms that I had once learned from Professor Toth. He challenged me in many ways, and sometimes it felt itchy, but undoubtedly it was my own good fortune to cross paths with this man. His life and his legacy as a professor, and a damn solid human being, lives on in everyone he mentored. He convinced us to think bigger than we were and to believe it. Thanks to you Diane, and your family, for sharing him with us.

Mark Raming

Salt Lake City, Ut

Diana and family - All of us at Canyonlands Field Institute extend our heartfelt sympathies at this difficult time. Dick supported our environmental education mission through planning, mentorship and major donor. He served on our Board of Trustees in our early years and kept up with us since to support connecting kids with nature. I always appreciated the notes and visits from both of you. I am not able to attend the services but will honor his life on a little walk today in the desert. In sympathy, Karla VanderZanden, CFI Co Founder and Executive Director.

Karla VanderZanden

Moab, UT

Diana, We are saddened to hear of the loss of your husband. It is truly a difficult time and our thoughts and prayers are with you and your family.

Katie and Bob Elder

River Heights, UT

Dear Diana and family, Marilyn and I were heartbroken to learn of Dick's passing, and wish desperately that we had been able to make it to Salt Lake City for the services last week. Dick was without question the cornerstone contributor to what evolved into outstanding environmental planning programs at USU, and he leaves behind a legacy as an educator, mentor, and colleague that continues to have lasting impacts. For those of us who had the opportunity to work with him on projects or simply to know him as a kindred spirit among the USU faculty, he was a valued colleague and a valuable friend. One of our shared friends observed last week that with Dick will no longer tossing flies into the Henry's Fork and other western rivers, the fish are no doubt considerably worried about their futures! For the rest of us there's a void that we'll feel for a long, long while. Condolences and best wishes to all of you, Rick Krannich

Rick Krannich

Paradise, Ut

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