Dietrich Neyland

Dietrich A. Neyland, 94, retired local architect of Little Rock, died early Monday morning, November 23, 2009. Born in Shreveport, Louisiana to J.C. and Mary Neyland, and the grandson of an eminent German architect, Dietrich Augustus Rulfs, he attended Tulane University on a basketball scholarship. Better known there as Sky, he was most proud of being named All Conference center. In his senior year, he was awarded both the American Institute of Architects medal and the S.S. Lobouisse award.
After serving in the U.S. Navy from 1943 to 1946, he served an apprenticeship under the renowned architect, Richard Neutra of Los Angeles before becoming an associate in the architectural firm of Van Oss & Flaxman in Shreveport. While there, he designed an award-winning high school which, when featured in Life Magazine, was deemed to be one of the ten best high schools in the nation.
Coming to Little Rock in 1950, he joined the firm of Ginocchio/Cromwell where he later became a design principal, partner, president, chairman of the board and lastly, chairman emeritus when the firm was Cromwell, Neyland, Truemper, Levy and Woodsmall. After retiring in 1980, he fulfilled his life-long ambition of achieving a Masters Degree in Studio Art at UALR.
Dietrich was a member of St. Andrew's Anglican Church and had attended seven years of Bible Study Fellowship. He was described as an unassuming man who shunned the limelight, preferring to remain in the background even at the dedications of the buildings he designed. As an architect and an artist, he signed his paintings and the foundations' wet cement of all his buildings with "TL", which he told others, stood for his "brush name," Thadeus Longfellow. But in reality, it stood for "Thanks, Lord." In each of his oil paintings, he also camouflaged (sometimes not so subtly) a cross.
Preceded in death by his parents, brother, J.C. Neyland of Houston, and his first wife, Marion Winsboro Neyland, he is survived by his wife of 41 years, Linda Halbert Neyland, who was by his side in their home when he died. Special thanks to Dr. Thomas D. Cain who diligently cared for him; Central Arkansas Homecare, especially Kari, R.N. and Catherine Caldwell; caregivers, Karl Meyerdirk, Brenda Williams and Jason Hackett; and the Prayer team at St. Andrew's Church.
Graveside Services will be held at 1:30 p.m., Wednesday, November 25 at Pinecrest Memorial Park in Alexander, officiated by The Right Reverend Philip Jones. Memorials may be made to St. Andrew's Anglican Church, 8300 Kanis Rd., Little Rock, AR 72204 or to the Humane Society of Pulaski County, 14600 Colonel Glenn, Little Rock, AR 72210.
Arrangements by Little Rock Funeral Home, 8801 Knoedl Ct., Little Rock, (501)224-2200. Mr. Neyland's online guestbook may be signed at www.littlerockfuneralhome.com