Jerome Johan Diepenbrock

Jerome Johan Diepenbrock, an architect and artist who adventured across the globe and deep into the realm of spiritual belief, died Sept. 18th in his beloved city of Seattle after suffering a heart attack.

He was 66 years old.

Jerome was born in San Francisco on Aug. 25, 1953, a twin and the third of 13 children of Anthony B. Diepenbrock Jr. and Marjorie Gossage Schoorl. He attended Serra High School, Santa Clara University, College of San Mateo and University of Oregon, earning a Bachelor of Architecture in 1978.

He was married to Irene Gomez of Seattle from 1979 to 1996 and lived in Seattle since the late 1970s.

He is survived by their son, Adrian Martin Gomez-Diepenbrock of Seattle, and 10 brothers and sisters: Anthony (Donna); Marjorie Vondrak (Tim); Chloe (Robert); Teresa; Amy Bolton (Bob); Mary Gunion (Guy); Peter (Janet); William (Renee); Claire Johnson (Mark); and Bernadette. He is preceded in death by his sister Eloise Libby; brother, William Michael; and his parents.

Jerome loved the outdoors, spending his summers and winters as a young man in Tahoe, where he worked as a lifeguard. He was an avid skier and a member of a college ski team. His travels brought him to Peru, Costa Rica, Greece, Iceland, Norway, Denmark, Spain, Turkey, France, Scotland, Ireland, New Zealand, Egypt and the Galapagos Islands.

He loved to swim and often did so each morning at Lincoln Park, adjusting his schedule to ensure he had enough time for the activity.

He was a consummate cook, who enjoyed turning the mundane into meals to delight the senses. He loved baking pies with his sisters and their children, was a veritable king of family breakfasts and enjoyed cooking together with his son, Martin.

He often had a home improvement project underway and enjoyed the challenge of solving the problems they involved. He often enlisted Martin as his helper; the two also made sure to spend time together every week, whether it was for lunch, a trip to the theater or just to hang out.

Professionally, Jerome received his license to practice architecture in Washington in 1983. He worked for several Seattle firms, including 10 years at CDS Inc., where he was vice president and director of architecture. In 1996, he launched his own firm, Diepenbrock Architecture, specializing in guiding client projects from concept to completion.

In all, Jerome brought his unique vision to the design of more than 40 multi-family projects, 20 commercial projects, 20 single-family homes and numerous residential remodels. His was a unique vision, meshing modern concepts seamlessly with classic elements, incorporating clean, dynamic lines and symbolism from Native American traditions.

Among Jerome's passion projects was the home he built for his family dubbed the "Whale House" for its signature rafters evoking images of orcas.

He was an expert mediator and ethics specialist who co-chaired the American Institute of Architects (AIA) Seattle Practice and Ethics Committee, served as a visiting lecturer at the University of Washington and as an expert witness in numerous court cases.

A remembrance of his life will be held

Saturday, November 2nd

from 2:00pm-5:00pm at

Dakota Place Park

4304 SW Dakota St., Seattle.

Hoffner Fisher & Harvey

Guestbook at harveyfuneral.com

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