Blanche and Austin Duckett

Edward Austin Duckett came to WKU as an undergraduate student, where he studied art and industrial arts. Following graduation, Austin served in the Army Corps of Engineering in World War II. After his discharge, he attended the Illinois Institute of Technology. He then began his prolific career as an architect, where he worked on notable projects such as the Sears Tower in Chicago, the Seagram Building in New York, and the World’s largest airport in Mecca.

He spent 22 years working with Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, one of America’s best-known architects, and 17 years working with Skidmore, Owings, and Merrill, one of the world’s largest architectural and engineering firms. He was also a member of Kerr Memorial United Methodist Church. He was married to Blanche Dove Duckett. Blanche was born May 1, 1912. They were married until her passing on May 11, 1994, and his on February 27, 2008.

To further give back to WKU, the Blanche and Austin Duckett Strings Music Scholarship Fund was established. The fund assists WKU students who are majoring in music with a concentration in string instruments. Through this fund, Blanche and Austin Duckett’s legacies live on in perpetuity.