Steven B. Edwins passed away at his home in Northfield, Minn. on Dec. 14, 2014 at the age of 71, surrounded by the love of his wife and sons.

Steve was born Aug. 31, 1943, in Van Nuys, Calif., to Sam and Millie Nelson Edwins. At the age of 10, he moved with his family to St. Louis Park, Minn. He graduated from St. Louis Park High School in 1961 and in 1965 received his degree in studio art from St. Olaf College. He attended Yale University, where he received his master’s in architecture in 1970.

While attending Yale he studied under many talented professors, but became most passionate about low income housing in rural Appalachia. After graduating from Yale, he received a Robert F. Kennedy Fellowship and moved to Kentucky to continue his work in Appalachia. In the fall of 1970, he started teaching architecture at the University of Kentucky, where he researched issues of urban design and theory of architectural education.

In 1976, Steve joined his teacher, mentor, and friend Edward Sovik ’39 at SMSQ Architects in Northfield, where he became principal and then owner. The morning of his first day of work at SMSQ he met his future wife, Jennifer Harvey Edwins ’74. Steve and Jennifer married on July 2, 1977, at Dundee Presbyterian Church in Omaha, Neb.. For a short time they lived in Minneapolis, before making their home in Northfield.

While he worked on many different project types, Steve’s passion was church architecture and historic preservation. Even though he worked on buildings throughout the country, projects in Northfield were always especially important to him. From porch additions and house remodeling to the Northfield Public Library addition and the Boe Chapel renovation, as well as additions to St. John’s Lutheran Church, First United Church of Christ, and All Saints Episcopal Church, Steve contributed greatly to the architectural fabric of Northfield over his 38-year career at SMSQ.

Guided by the notion that downtown Northfield should be a place for all to gather, live, work, and shop, Steve worked tirelessly with others to create a more vibrant downtown. As one of the founding members of the Northfield Heritage Preservation Commission, Steve saw the potential in Northfield and spent countless hours helping to create the downtown as we know it today. Through his work on the HPC, his long-term vision is reflected in the streetscape and many of the buildings in downtown Northfield. While he spent time preserving Northfield’s architectural past for future generations, he also saw the role that technology and media could play in Northfield’s community as a founding member of Northfield Public Access Television NTV26.

For 25 years, he taught architectural design studios as an adjunct professor of architecture at St. Olaf College. Additionally, he served on various local and state historic review boards, lending his knowledge to others in the preservation, historical, and architectural communities.

A man of humility, Steve was a behind-the-scenes leader, always willing to let others have the credit. He shared a very holistic view of Northfield and was patient and tireless in his commitment to make it a better place.

Survivors include his wife of 37 years, Jennifer; his sons, Andrew and girlfriend Michele Goddard, and Daniel Edwins ’08; his brother, Rev. Michael Edwins; his mother-in-law, Jody Harvey; his sister-in-law, Patricia Goodwin and husband Bob; his nephew, Seth Goodwin; and many cousins and friends, including Katherine Edwins Schumm ’67. He was preceded in death by his parents and his father-in-law and good friend, Donald Harvey.