A Tribute to Martin Koepke

On October 2, 2023, Mayor Bill Brown recognized longtime Village resident Martin Koepke for his vast contributions to Mariemont, officially proclaiming it Martin Koepke Day. Sadly, Martin passed away a few days later, on October 10, after a long battle with stomach cancer.

Martin generously devoted countless volunteer hours to the Village of Mariemont, where he and Lisa, his wife of 45 years, nurtured their family and supported Mary Emery's original vision of establishing a livable, walkable community. Martin’s numerous professional achievements were recognized both by Mariemont Mayor Bill Brown proclaiming October 2, 2023 as “Martin Koepke Day” as well as the City of Cincinnati declaring September 13, 2021 as Martin Koepke Day on the occasion of his retirement from a remarkable 43-year career as a landscape architect.

Martin’s family said, “Martin’s profound ability to honor human dignity through his dedication to family, his work as a landscape architect, and his remarkable character, enriched the world in which we live.”

From Martin’s obituary:

“Born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, in 1953, his formative years were deeply influenced by the meticulous order of his father's woodshop, the warmth of his mother's kitchen, exploring natural landscapes and riparian environments, and a love for sports. Martin's athletic talents were complemented by his unwavering dedication to teamwork, embodying the belief that while good things happen alone, great achievements occur together. During his high school years, Martin's family moved several times, yet wherever they went, all three Koepke brothers were embraced by the basketball teams. At Sturgis High School, Martin's basketball coach encouraged him to try track, and he astounded everyone by breaking the school record for the mile at 4:19, clad in blue jeans and Converse high top tennis shoes.

Destiny led Martin to Lisa Anne Shapleigh in the stairwell of Shaw Hall at Michigan State University. They fell in love, married, and embarked on a creative journey together for 45 years, giving life to two exceptional children, Lydia Marie and Alexander Shapleigh.

Following their wedding, the joyful couple settled in Cincinnati in 1978, where Martin commenced a remarkable 43-year career in landscape architecture, 33 of which were alongside John Bentley. Together, they crafted numerous iconic public sites, including Great American Ballpark, P&G World Headquarters, Piatt Park, University of Cincinnati, several Cincinnati Public Library locations, private estates, civic enhancements, and the monumental urban development project Tianxiu in Beijing, China.

In both his professional endeavors and personal life, Martin consistently and thoughtfully considered the needs of those around him. His acute understanding of the human condition and the natural world allowed him to create a lasting legacy of places that foster positive human interactions. His mission was to ensure the existence of spaces where joy could flourish.

He faced all challenges with curiosity, always mindful of others at every stage of life, right until the end. As Lydia sat with him during his final days, Martin's ability to articulate diminished. However, his understanding and appreciation of

Martin Koepke Day Proclamation by Mayor Bill

Brown

Martin Koepke has been a valued member of the Mariemont community for over 37 years, and

Whereas, Martin served admirably in preserving our Village heritage as a member on the Architectural Review Board for ten years, and

Whereas, as a nationally recognized Landscape Architect, Martin has completed countless volunteer design or consulting projects throughout the Village, and

Whereas, the Village of Mariemont will benefit for generations from Martin’s talents in creating functional, beautiful spaces that bridge our built environment with the natural world, and

Whereas, Martin represents a model of participating citizenship and a source of joy and encouragement to others, and

Whereas, the Village of Mariemont wishes to thank Martin for the positive impact he has had on our Village during his many years of service, and

Now, therefore, I, William A. Brown, Mayor of the Village of Mariemont, Ohio, do hereby proclaim, Monday, October 2nd, 2023 as:

Martin Koepke Day

In the Village of Mariemont and encourage all citizens and visitors to the community to join in this special recognition.

William A. Brown, Mayor

the human experience remained evident, encapsulated in his parting word, "Courage."

cont'd on next page

Martin Koepke (from previous page)

Martin was preceded in death by his father, Earl Herbert Koepke, father-in-law, Lloyd P. Shapleigh, Jr., and sister-in-law, Sarah Elizabeth Shapleigh. He is survived by his wife and teammate of 45 years, Lisa Anne Shapleigh Koepke; daughter, Lydia Marie Koepke (Łukasz Misiejuk); son, Alexander Shapleigh Koepke (Young Lee Koepke); granddaughter, Frida Hasun Koepke; mother, Betty Lou Koepke (nee Murray); mother-in- law, Elizabeth May Shapleigh (nee Griffiths); identical twin, Marcus Curtis Koepke (Lana Smith Koepke); brother, Gary Lee Koepke (Pinar Demirdag); sisters-in-law, Rebecca Ruth Shapleigh, (Irwin Myers), Laura Leslie Shapleigh Shaffer (William Shaffer); nephews and nieces, Max Koepke, Adrienne Koepke, Lola Koepke, Jonathan Shaffer (Michelle Hall Shaffer), Bekah Shaffer; great nephews and niece, Jonathan Shaffer, Jr., Ava Shaffer, Liam Shaffer; Scampi the mutt, Penny the torbie cat and many dear friends.

The family expresses heartfelt gratitude to Queen City Hospice and The Key caretakers for their dedicated support during Martin's final days, ensuring his comfort.

Memorial contributions may be made to No Stomach for Cancer: https:// nostomachforcancer.org/?form=donate.

If you're inclined, please visit any of Martin's projects and experience the incredible spaces he created. Bring a friend or, even better, make a new one, for this was Martin's vision for each space he designed.”