Obituary of Richard Eighme Ahlborn

Richard Ahlborn died on October 29, 2015. He was born in Kansas and educated at the University of Colorado, BA in studio and art history with honors and Phi Beta Kappa. He won a Henri DuPont Winterthur Museum Fellowship at the University of Delaware, taking an MA in American Studies and was a Fulbright Scholar to the Philippine Islands where he photographed its many Spanish colonial Catholic churches. He received a Yale University graduate school grant to study under Professor George Kubler. He enthusiastically mentored interns, conducted research, produced exhibits on a number of subjects, and wrote more than 50 books and monographs. His research specialty was Spanish American history and arts. Mr. Ahlborn retired as Curator Emeritus, Department of Cultural History, Smithsonian National Museum of American History, where he worked from 1964 until 2002. Previously he served as Curator at Omaha, Nebraska's Joslyn Art Museum. Preceding his death were his parents, George and Dorothy Ahlborn, and his brother, George Ahlborn. He is survived by his partner, Marla Bush of Bethesda, MD. A memorial service will be scheduled at a later date. For further information please visit www.rappfuneral.com.