by Patty Potter
William H. “Bill” Blankenship
The world lost a good man recently – William H. Blankenship. We knew him as Bill, our friend, co-worker, mentor and one of Quorum’s five founding partners. He was also a beloved husband, father and grandfather.
“Our friend, co-worker mentor and one of Quorum’s five founding partners . . .
and also a beloved husband, father and grandfather.”
In the time that we knew him, Bill positively impacted our lives as well as the community in which we live and work.
Bill grew up in Marshall, Texas where he developed his love of the great outdoors and enjoyed hunting, fishing and quarterbacking his high school football team. He came to Arlington to attend college. He was among the earliest class of students to advance from the two-year pre-architecture associate degree program to the full-fledged four-year Bachelor of Science Architecture program at what is now the University of Texas at Arlington, formerly Arlington State College.
William H. “Bill” Blankenship
According to his classmate, Quorum Architect Billie Williams, Bill was a driving force in urging the school to install a licensed architect as the first Dean of the new department, ultimately leading to the program and their bachelors’ degrees becoming accredited two years later.
Quorum Founders (L to R) - Doug Moon, Bill Blankenship, David Lee, Woody Jekel & Scott Wilson, 1993
It was in college that Bill met and fell in love with Nancy Rogers. After graduation, Bill and Nancy married and moved to California so Bill could pursue a career opportunity. They lived in San Diego for several years, and after having their first child, moved back to Texas to be closer to family.
It was back in Texas, working for design firm Parker Croston, that Bill befriended four fellow architects – Doug Moon, David Lee, Scott Wilson and Woody Jekel – that would eventually join him in establishing Quorum Architects in Fort Worth in 1992.
David Lee said about Bill, “He had a development mindset and taught us how to recognize opportunities by thinking more globally. This influenced our design work and clientele throughout the life of the firm.”
The five friends started out in a mid-century office building on Camp Bowie Boulevard. Doug Moon laughingly recalls that Bill and Scott Wilson shared a desk and a computer set atop a lazy Susan for rotating. It was here in those first seven years that they more than tripled the size of the firm to 17.
Bill was instrumental in the founders deciding to purchase the former Southwestern Bell vehicle maintenance building on the near southside of downtown in 1999, originally built in 1937. His entrepreneurial spirit helped the company to make many connections and win projects that enabled the firm to survive, especially in the critical, early years of the company.
Projects for John Peter Smith Hospital, Acme Brick, Tarrant County and University Christian Church followed because of the connections and relationships that Bill fostered.
“More than once, I remember being doubled over with laughter, tears running down my face while Bill tried to finish a story, choked up with laughter himself.”
Family members with one of their champion Arabs
Nancy and Bill shared a love of horses, specifically for Egyptian Arabians. On their Texas ranch, they bred, boarded, showed and sold these rare beauties to clients all over the world.
Bill’s retirement party, 2021
Bill could be brazenly outspoken, often communicating most effectively with a grunt or gesture. He loved to laugh but was more likely the one making us laugh. More than once, I remember being doubled over with laughter, tears running down my face while Bill tried to finish a story, choked up with laughter himself.
We’ve felt Bill’s absence in the office since his retirement from Quorum in 2021, and he will be forever remembered and loved by all who knew him.
Bill, we miss you, man.