Cervene, Richard 1927-1999

CERVENE, TITUS, NELSON, NEVERDAHL

Posted By: Marilyn Holmes
Date: 8/7/2014 at 10:03:25

The Grinnell (IA) Herald-Register
Jan. 14, 1999

RICHARD CERVENE

Richard Cervene, professor emeritus of art at Grinnell College, died Sunday, Jan. 10, at his home.

Funeral services are scheduled for 1 p.m. Friday at Bruce's Funeral Home, 923 First Ave. South, Fort Dodge.

He was born March 5, 1927, in Fort Dodge to Glen I. and Carolyn "Peg" W. Titus Cervene. He served in the U.S. Army from 1945 to 1947, then received his B.A. degree from the University of Iowa in 1953, joining the Grinnell College faculty the following year.

He was named a full professor in 1969, became semi-retired in 1992 and moved to emeritus status in 1997.

While on the Grinnell faculty, Prof. Cervene taught courses in both studio art and art history, chaired the Art Department four times and served as the first curator of the college's permanent art collection from 1972 until 1986. He received a Grinnell College Alumni Award in 1991 for distinguished career accomplishments.

Among his many honors, he received two YADDO Foundation grants in painting in 1963 and 1974, and the Grant Wood Prize in watercolor in 1962.

He received 1st awards in painting and oil, was awarded a Younker Purchase Prize at the Des Moines Art Center and the Purchase Prize at the 10th Midwest Biennial Exhibition at the Joslyn Art Museum. In 1979 he was included among 44 artists invited to participate in the national Contemporary American Art Exhibition at the American Academy and Institute of Arts and Letters in New York.

His recent accomplishments included a 1996 Special Achiever Award for distinguished achievements in art and an appointment to the board of trustees of the Blanden Memorial Art Museum in Fort Dodge. In addition, one of his paintings was featured in the Grinnell College Sesquicentennial Alumni Artists Exhibition.

Prof. Cervene is survived by two sisters, Bettie Nelson of Denver, Colo., and Carol Neverdahl of Aurora, Colo. He was preceded in death by his parents and one brother, David.

Memorials may be made in the form of charitable contributions of donors' choice.