Ray Kingston papers, 1914-2017

Ray Kingston (1934-2022) was born west of Ogden in Taylor, Utah on Oct. 7, 1934, where he grew up on a farm as the fifth of six children born to Viva Witt Kingston and Clarence David Kingston. He graduated from Ogden High in 1952 and attended the University of Utah, where he studied modern dance. It was through dance that he met his wife Joan P. Kingston. The two performed with Ririe Woodbury Dance Company during the company's founding years; Joan would spend the next 50 years as a dance educator. Kingston was introduced to architecture by his roommate Roy Tachiki, and eventually changed his major to Architecture, studying at the University of Utah and Colorado College.

Kingston enlisted in the U.S. Army and served as a Specialist with the 82nd Airborne stationed at Fort Bragg, N.C. He was honorably discharged in 1959 and moved with Joan and their new son, Erik, to Tucson, Ariz., to continue his architectural studies. Following graduation from the University of Arizona in 1963 he began his noteworthy architectural career based in Salt Lake City and eventually was licensed to practice in 19 states.

In 1969, Kingston was invited to serve as a planning consultant to Iranian architect and lifelong friend Reza Khazeni, which gave him the opportunity to work with an international urban planning team in Iran. Upon his return, he was hired by Ted Johnson, founder and developer of Snowbird Ski Resort, to design his private residence there. Ted's trust and confidence in Kingston led to his coordinating role in the master planning and design work for the resort and changed the course of his life. The two of them—along with financier Dick Bass—visited several international ski resorts to inform their planning approach, and the three remained lifelong friends.

Ray Kingston was a co-founder of ENTELEKI Architecture and later a founding partner of Fowler Ferguson Kingston Ruben Architects (FFKR). He was a central architect and planner for Abravanel Hall, a project that reflected his love of classical music and the Utah Symphony. He also spearheaded the design and subsequent expansion of the Cliff Lodge, along with numerous other buildings at Snowbird and beyond.

Kingston was recognized in 1998 as an AIA Fellow—the highest membership honor of the American Institute of Architects—for his "exceptional work and significant contributions to architecture and society." He was a longtime patron of the arts and humanities, serving as Chairman of the Utah Arts Council, where he helped create and implement the first Utah Arts Festival. He was eventually appointed by President Ronald Reagan to serve on the board of the National Endowment for the Arts, or NEA. For his volunteer work to help lead the renovation of the Cathedral of the Madeleine, he became the only non-Catholic Utahn to be knighted by the Roman Catholic Church. On August 2, 2022, Kingston passed away peacefully with his children by his side.

Source: "Ray Kingston (1934 - 2022)." Obituaries, The Salt Lake Tribune, 5 Aug. 2022, www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/saltlaketribune/name/ray-kingston-obituary?id=36150707.