Louis de Moll, award-winning architect

Louis de Moll, 89, of Rose Valley, an architect whose buildings can be seen here and as far away as Afghanistan, died Tuesday, Oct. 15, of pneumonia at White Horse Village in Gradyville, Delaware County.

Mr. de Moll was a partner in the Philadelphia-based Ballinger Co., first with his father, Carl, and later with his brother, John.

He designed hundreds of buildings - hospitals, corporate offices, research facilities, and instructional buildings for universities.

"He was particularly proud of his ability to combine aesthetics with functionality," his family said in a statement. Mr. de Moll retired in 1986.

Among his favorites were the U.S. Embassy in Kabul, Afghanistan, the McNeil Building at the University of Pennsylvania, and the Unisys Corp. headquarters in Blue Bell, Montgomery County.

He won design awards for his work on the IBM Supplies Division building in Dayton, N.J., a research laboratory at Cornell University, a master plan for the Penn's Landing waterfront in Philadelphia, the Ocean City, N.J., Tabernacle - a religious meeting place - and his own home, built in stages over 20 years.

"It was recognized as a landmark by the Rose Valley community," his family said.

Born in Swarthmore, Mr. de Moll was a 1942 graduate of Swarthmore High School along with his sweetheart, the former Carol Maude Froebel.

Mr. de Moll served as a combat engineer and draftsman in World War II for two years ending in 1945. Part of his job was to mark the position of minefields on combat maps, according to his discharge papers.

Before the war, he completed a year at the University of Pennsylvania and returned afterward to earn a bachelor's degree in architecture in 1949. He and Froebel married in 1950.

Mr. de Moll was elected president of the International Union of Architects, based in Paris, his family said. He served from 1978 to 1981 and used the post to help architects in developing nations. He and his wife enjoyed traveling widely on society business.

He served on other boards, including that of the American Institute of Architects and its Philadelphia chapter. Mr. de Moll received the John Harbeson and Thomas U. Walter Awards from the local chapter for his contributions to the field.

Mr. de Moll was a gifted painter and sculptor, and his art captures scenes of the Philadelphia area and the Maine coastline. His paintings have been shown in Washington, D.C., New York, New Jersey, Minnesota, Oregon, and Maine.

In addition to his wife, he is survived by a son, Kip; daughters Lane, Cathy, Lauren, and Meg; 13 grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.

A memorial service will be at 2 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 9, at the School in Rose Valley, 20 School Lane, Rose Valley, Pa. 19063. Burial is private.

Contributions may be made to the school at the address above.