At former Penn State architect Charlie Brueggebors's going away party in 1999, OPP spokesman Paul Ruskin asked all his co-workers to submit adjectives to describe Charlie.
His favorite? Dashing.
"He got a big kick out of it. It really does kind of describe his outlook," Ruskin said, adding that Brueggebors reminded him of Fred Astaire. "That was the way I will always remember Charlie."
Brueggebors died Wednesday morning at Mount Nittany Medical Center of complications from cancer, said Barbara Jordan, Brueggebors's ex-wife.
Jordan said they met as undergraduates at Penn State. She said that after his retirement in 1999, he was focused on his many contributions to the community.
Ruskin said he knew Brueggebors before he retired.
"He was a terrific, devoted Penn State employee for several decades. He did a lot of good community work in State College and nearby before and after he retired, and I'm certainly sorry to see his passing," Ruskin said.
Brueggebors worked as an architect for the Office of Physical Plant for 27 years between 1972 and his retirement in 1999, according to a biography on the Penn State Web site, psu.edu.
"Charlie was sophisticated and a person who brought good taste to the university," Ruskin said. "He always led the battle for good aesthetics at the university."
Brueggebors was involved in the design of several campus buildings such as the Bryce Jordan Center, the Thomas Building, the Hintz Alumni Center, the Lasch Building and the indoor track, according to the biography.
"I remember Charlie as a low-key kind of guy. He clearly accomplished a lot around town," State College Mayor Bill Welch said.
Jordan said Brueggebors is survived by their son, Greg, two grandchildren and a "large and very caring extended family."
During his time as a university architect, Brueggebors approved project designs and oversaw building at all Penn State campuses, according to the biography.
Brueggebors was also an active member of several local organizations. He was chairman of the Centre Regional Planning Commission, president of the Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts and acting vice president of the Palmer Museum Art Board, according to the biography.
