Richard H. Buford, 78

STILL POND, Md. - Richard H. Buford, of Still Pond, died unexpectedly on Sunday, May 25, 2008. He was 78.

Before coming to Kent County in 2001 he had lived for many years in Gladwyne, Pa., and New York City.

Dick was born in Carbondale, Ill., to Dorothy and John Lester Buford.

John Lester was a president of the National Education Association and a gifted speaker. Dick shared this ability and spoke simply, eloquently, and publicly throughout his career.

Dick graduated from the University of Illinois in 1951.

In 1958 he received his law degree from the University of Michigan Law School.

He attended Officers Candidate School and spent two years as an Army lieutenant at White Sands, N.M.

Dick always considered himself a city planner.

In 1966 he left his position in Philadelphia as commissioner of licenses and inspection to go to New York City, as a special assistant to then-Mayor John Lindsay, to run the first summer antipoverty program.

When his staff's paychecks were held up by bureaucratic snarls he promptly went to his bank for a $10,000 personal loan to pay the workers.

This story appeared in the New York Times.

He remained in city government as executive director of the Department of City Planning and director of Lower Manhattan Development.

In 1975 he became president of the South Street Seaport Museum, fashioning a way for the city to save the waterfront area while bringing in development sensitive to preservation.

He led and participated in numerous community meetings and public hearings.

In 1977 Dick returned to Philadelphia as director of real estate development at the University of Pennsylvania.

As a developer he had also been director of the New York office of Metropolitan Structures and a vice president of the Uris Building Corp.

Before moving to Maryland he served as the director of the Buell Center for the study of American Architecture at Columbia University.

He was a member of the preservation committee of the Municipal Art Society in New York and a founder, and for 20 years a member of the board of directors of the New York Landmarks Conservancy.

Dick had been a member of the Century Club since 1989.

He was a generous and loyal friend. He recognized ability and made efforts on behalf of others to support their success.

Dick loved reading, classical music, good wine and food, and his dog Marshall, who loved him in return.

He maintained an informed love of architecture and good design.

He was a supporter of modern dance and the arts.

He found great satisfaction in his daily trips to Chestertown.

Dick valued his Kent County friendships and loved living in Still Pond.

He is survived by his companion of 31 years, Tom Martin; his sister, Barbara De Champ of Carbondale; his loving aunt, Virginia Foster of Jacksonville, Miss.; and a number of nieces and nephews, cousins, and many friends.

A memorial service will be held in midsummer in Still Pond.

Instead of flowers, support something that you care about in the name of Richard Buford.

He valued Parsons Dance Troupe (ParsonsDance.org), Corbin Dances (CorbinDances.org) and Preservation Maryland (PreserveMD.org).