August 2017 - Parks & Recreation - 68

NRPA Update

In Appreciation of David Lose
By Richard J. Dolesh

RPA lost one of its much-loved members last month with the passing of
David Lose of Nashville, Tennessee, who died unexpectedly at age 77
while on a trip to Ireland with his wife Betti. Widely known and always a
little bit larger than life, he served as member of NRPA's Board of Directors from 1997 to 1999, and chairman of the board from 2000 to 2004, during a time
of great change for the association.
Lose was a landscape architect by
profession who founded one of the bestknown park design firms in the southeast - Lose and Associates - which
now employs nearly 60 people. Founded in 1982, the business grew under his
direction to offer services in landscape
architecture, architecture, civil engineering and land planning. The firm has
completed more than 600 park projects
in planning, design, master planning and
system-wide analysis, totaling more than
$1 billion of work.

it and breathed it, and it came back into
his designs in many ways. "
" His service to NRPA was not work
for him, " says Camp. " I remember
when he was about ready to take on the
chairmanship of the NRPA board he
said, 'This might take some of my time
away from work,' " says Camp ruefully.
" He never told me that it would be a
four-year job! "
Though he was highly respected for
the quality of his professional work, it
was his warm and engaging personality

'He was probably the best people-person I have ever
known. He had the ability to talk to anyone, and he was
especially effective on Capitol Hill, working with members
of Congress and staff.'
Lose's longtime business partner,
CEO Chris Camp, who worked with
him for more than 30 years, says, " First
and foremost, he was an advocate and
passionate promoter of parks. He just
loved parks and really believed that
parks made people's lives better. " As
many who knew him remarked, he
loved the outdoors and spent much of
his free time hunting, fishing, kayaking
and enjoying the outdoors. Marvin Billups, interim director of DeKalb County, Georgia, says Lose's love of nature
infused his park design work. " He lived
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Parks & Recreation

that most people remember him by. " He
had a joie de vivre that was infectious, "
says Barbara Tulipane, NRPA CEO. Alice Conkey, former NRPA president who
served when Lose was board chair, says,
" He was probably the best people-person
I have ever known. He had the ability
to talk to anyone, and he was especially
effective on Capitol Hill, working with
members of Congress and staff. "
Penny Randel, commissioner of
Northbrook Illinois Park District and
longtime NRPA board member, says
she really appreciated Lose for the very

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gentlemanly and direct way he could
say things. " He didn't spin it, " she says.
" He had the ability to see the big picture and deal with it directly. He could
remain a gentleman and still be honest
in saying difficult things. David was also
able to see the value of parks and recreation to a community outside of his
personal perspective as a landscape architect. But, it was his ability to work
with people that made him so important
to NRPA. He had that ability to make
everyone feel their point of view was
important and valued. "
Bob Farnsworth, retired CEO of Playcore, says, " David was a true Tennessee
gentleman. I was proud to have called him
friend, colleague and fellow advocate for
parks, recreation and conservation. He had
a special gift for communicating the value
of parks and recreation to everyone. He
will be really missed by all of us. "
Rich Dolesh is NRPA's Vice President of Strategic
Initiatives (rdolesh@nrpa.org).

August 2017 - Parks & Recreation

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