Konrad Danton Von Appen, a longtime resident of Warwick, N.Y., passed away on Jan. 2, 2026 at home, surrounded by family. He was 94 years old.
Born in Chicago, on Nov. 12, 1931, Konrad (Von) was the son of Bruno (known as Skipper) and Ilse (née Gust) both originally from Hamburg, Germany. He had a younger sister, Lorna, whom he loved dearly. Konrad greatly admired his father, who taught him everything. Skipper worked as a typesetter for the New York Times. Skipper was self-educated, learned English and four other languages on his own, read Shakespeare and classic literature, loved classical music and art, and was a highly skilled chess player. Konrad emulated his father’s example and shared many of these passions throughout his life. His two grandchildren similarly share his enthusiasm: Ely for art and creativity, and Ryan for music, playing piano and chess.
Konrad grew up in North St. Paul, Minn., and moved to Astoria, Queens when he was 15. There he developed friendships of a lifetime, when they formed a basketball team. They named the team The Axemen, and played in a park near the Triborough Bridge. These friends included George Large, Richard Preusse, Robert Bengtsson, Charles Varella (Red Dog) and Willie Pappas, who taught him how to play. They named the team The Axemen because they had a big axe. If you were fouling someone too much in a game, someone would say, “Put your hatchet away!”
Konrad attended Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, earning a degree in architecture, where he also played basketball and was team captain two years in a row. He moved to Little Ferry, N.J., and married Elly in 1954. Two months later, he was drafted into the Army. Afterwards, he worked for several architectural firms in New York City for many years, designing banks and plans for Newark Airport before it was originally built.
They bought a house in Warwick, N.Y., in 1966 at first to go skiing and have house parties, but then discovered his passion for teaching, starting the architectural program at Orange County Community College, in Middletown, N.Y. He taught there for 47 years. Although he retired in 1998, he continued to teach some classes until 2015. Teaching in a community college is where he thrived, devoting his life to inspiring others to learn, who may not have had a similar opportunity otherwise. Many of his students often worked full- or part-time to support themselves while also paying for classes. He demanded a lot from his students, challenging them while also gaining their mutual respect. He was strict, yet humorous and caring. Some students will remember a grade like C- “a gift”, when he felt he was being generous with their grade. He sincerely cared for his students and they responded in kind. He was also an active member of the Architectural Review Board for the Town of Warwick, contributing to his community for many years.
Konrad was an enthusiast of Frank Lloyd Wright’s philosophy of organic architecture. He believed in making buildings appear to be a part of their natural surroundings, promoting a deep connection to the environment. While living in Warwick, he designed several houses for close friends, which he put his heart and soul into (Simonee Tierney, Ken Stewart, Dave Meyer, Dr. Erv Burros and Mrs. Jan Burros - receiving an award for the design of their house). He finally designed his own home in 1998, continuing with additions and improvements to the interior and exterior, to complete his dream until the day he died. He is forever grateful to the expert builders and craftsmen Billy Merritt and Dorian Brandt for realizing this.
Konrad is survived by his wife of 71 years, Eleanor (née Brown); daughter Lassandra Von Appen and her husband Keegan Yang of Winslow, Maine; adopted family member and devoted caretaker Barbara Ewert, and two grandchildren: Ely Yang and his fiancée Patience Grant, of Waterville, Maine, and Ryan Yang of Winslow, Maine; nieces and nephews: Nina Bleicher Fey and her husband, Hans Peter Fey; Lisa Bleicher; David Bleicher; and Randolph Giannini; great-nieces and great-nephews: Tristan Bleicher Otto, Shane Bleicher Otto and his wife Alexis Maroney Otto and daughter Charlotte Eowyn Otto, and Abigail Bleicher Healey. He was predeceased by his sister Lorna Bleicher and his sister-in-law Alice Giannini.
Private arrangements were made. His ashes will be scattered in the backyard of his home that he designed.
In lieu of flowers, please make donations in Konrad’s memory to the SUNY Orange Foundation/Konrad Von Appen Architecture Scholarship, 115 South St., Middletown, N.Y. 10940 or online https://www.sunyorangefoundation.org/suny-orange-scholarships. The Foundation provides opportunities to students who may not otherwise be able to attend college.
Arrangements were entrusted to Lazear-Smith & Vander Plaat Memorial Home, 17 Oakland Ave., Warwick, N.Y. To send an online condolence, log onto www.lsvpmemorialhome.com.