"I've had a wonderful life," said Ward Beaumont Whitwam of Sioux Falls, SD, who passed away this Monday, January 25, surrounded by his loving family.  He was 97 years old.  Whitwam's life was not just wonderful; it was incredible.

Ward Whitwam was born on December 12, 1923, in Watertown, South Dakota.  He was the son of Merle and Alice MacDowell Whitwam.  He graduated from Watertown High School in May 1941 at 17 years of age.  He joined his older brother, William (Bill), at the University of California, Berkeley, in 1941.  In February 1943, he was drafted into the Army to serve in World War II.

He served as a Private with the 1172 Combat Engineers in Europe.  His most memorable experiences included the participation in the Invasion of Normandy, followed by the Battle of the Bulge in December 1944.  He received an Honorable Discharge in 1945.  He then returned to Berkeley and received a Bachelor of Arts in Architecture in 1948 and a Master of Arts in Architecture in 1950.

Despite the allure of a life in California, Whitwam returned to South Dakota and opened his own architecture office at the age of 29.  "I wanted to be a big fish in a small pond, "he frequently remarked.  In 1960, he designed his office building on N. West Avenue, Sioux Falls, and practiced there until 1997.

Whitwam was united in marriage to Elissa Guderyahn Whitwam of Sioux Falls in October 1959.  He designed their home overlooking Tuthill Park, in which they lived for 56 years.

Whitwam went on to design some of South Dakota's most recognized buildings, including the massive, iconic concrete tipis at 9 of the state's interstate rest stops.  The tipis are often considered South Dakota's most recognizable manmade landmark after Mount Rushmore and were officially listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2015.  Whitwam's other notable buildings included the Chapel at Augustana University, Hope Lutheran Church, and the Good Samaritan Village on North Minnesota Avenue in Sioux Falls.  He also designed four churches in nearby Luverne, Minnesota, and office buildings in Pierre.

At 65, he became the Executive Director of the South Dakota American Institute of Architects, a position he held for 23 years when he eventually retired in 2011 at the age of 88.

Whitwam received many architectural awards during his lifetime.  In 2001 he was awarded a Fellowship by the National American Institute of Architects (AIA), the second South Dakotan to receive the honor.  In 2017, then South Dakota Governor Dennis Daugaard presented Whitwam the Arts Distinction in Creative Achievement for his work in South Dakota.  He dedicated this award to his grandchildren, who "may forever stand at my buildings as a remembrance of me."  In 2020, Whitwam was awarded the Legacy Award for Lifetime Achievement to Architecture by the South Dakota AIA.

Besides his service to his country and contributions to architecture, Whitwam was also heavily active in the community, serving as President of the Chamber of Commerce - Military and Veterans Committee, President of the Downtown and Siouxland Lions Clubs.  He also served on committees for the YMCA Building & Grounds Committee, Civic Fine Arts Association, the First Congregational Church, and several other service clubs.

Ward's favorite phrase was "every day is a gift," and with this, he enjoyed being active in the community, architecture, traveling the world, and spending time with his wife, children, grandchildren, and friends. He was a devoted husband, father, and friend and always willing to lend guidance.  Ward and Elissa were blessed with 61 years of marriage.

In addition to his wife, Elissa, he is survived by his children, Wayne Whitwam, married to Beth; Bryce Whitwam, married to Hsia; and Elise Ambrose, married to Dan.  Whitwam had five grandchildren:  Tess, Emma, Evan, Elena, and Bereket.  He is also survived by his nephew, Grant Whitwam, and niece, Bibiana Whitwam, and preceded in death by his parents and older brother, Bill.

Private funeral services will be held Monday, February 1, 2021. The service will be streamed on First Congregational Churches YouTube page at 2:30PM.