Longtime art faculty member Steven Edwins ’65 dies
Longtime St. Olaf College art faculty member Steven Edwins ’65, whose architectural firm played an instrumental role in redesigning Boe Chapel, died December 14.
A funeral service was held December 18 at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Northfield.
After graduating from St. Olaf, Edwins went on to earn his professional M.Arch. in architectural studies from Yale University. In 1976, after years of working to improve housing conditions in Appalachia and teaching architecture at the University of Kentucky, he returned to Northfield and became a partner in SMSQ Architects. He eventually became principal and then owner of the firm.
In addition to his work at SMSQ, Edwins taught architectural drawing and design at St. Olaf for more than 25 years.
While Edwins worked on many different project types, his passion was church architecture and historic preservation. As principal at SMSQ, he led the 2007 renovation of Boe Chapel that gave new life to the college’s most visible symbol of faith and worship. He also oversaw additions to St. John’s Lutheran Church, First United Church of Christ, and All Saints Episcopal Church, and was one of the founding members of the Northfield Heritage Preservation Commission.
Read Edwins’ obituary.