Wife of Lambeau architect speaks of the 1957 mecca Shirley Gustafson points out the 1957 notation in the margin of the Lambeau Field blueprints stating that the original (not a copy) should go back to her late husband Dick, the designer (photo by Tina Gohr). By Benjamin Dreyer News-Chronicle Mention Lambeau Field and many people can rattle off the names of players, coaches and others who have made the Green Bay Packers famous. Few will mention Richard Gustafson. With a rededication ceremony looming, the life of the unrenowned designer of Green Bay's original Lambeau Field stadium was described recently by his widow, Shirley Gustafson. She recalled her husband's career, influences and friendships during the emergence of Green Bay's mecca. When Lambeau Field was built in 1957, the stadium cost $960,000 and was designed with the University of Michigan's stadium in mind. "When Dick went out to look at (the land) he said, 'You know, this is like the University of Michigan bowl the way the land is sloped,' Gustafson said. "He really used that as an example when he designed Lambeau Field." Richard Gustafson studied architecture at the University of Michigan (where he was first inspired by "The Big House") and went on to eventually work for Somerville and Associates, a Green Bay architectural firm. He began as an associate architect and rose to become vice president of the company. It was with Somerville and Associates that he was given the opportunity to design Lambeau Field. The atmosphere surrounding the stadium's creation was not one of fame, however. "You have to realize how famous it's become over the years and who made it famous. Vince Lombardi and Bart Starr put it on the map. Then everybody knew about Lambeau Field," Gustafson said. Even less was known about the architect who designed the stadium in 1957. He wouldn't have wanted it any other way, though, according to his widow. "My husband was too modest. When he died, even very close friends said, 'I didn't know Dick designed Lambeau Field.' He never talked about it, or bragged about it; that was not his style. When we were out socially he never said, 'Well I'm designing Lambeau Field for the new city stadium.' We just carried on our social life without him talking about what projects he was working on." The other projects in the Green Bay area Richard Gustafson worked on were Southwest High School, Lombardi Jr. High, the First Presbyterian Church in De Pere, the Coca-Cola bottling company on Oneida Street, and a large part of Bellin Hospital's additions. "Some of the things he designed way back on Bellin they're still using," said his widow. "He was very diversified, it wasn't just football." Designing Lambeau did afford him some friendships, though. "When he designed the stadium, he got to know Bart Starr on a friendly basis," she said. "They got to be good friends. "My husband was a Cub Scout leader because our youngest son was part of this Cub Scout group. When they would have a big occasion where the parents were invited, our speaker was Bart Starr. Dick would ask him to speak, and he would. Little boys used to sit on the floor at school with their mouths wide open, like, 'Bart Starr!'" Shirley and Richard Gustafson were also given 50-yardline seats for each football game. Over the years, Shirley Gustafson has collected an enormous amount of Packer memorabilia. "Anything that said Lambeau on it, boy, I collected it," she said. The majority of her collection lies in newspaper clippings that cover the development of Lambeau Field and her husband's involvement with the organization; however, her family also has a button given to fans on the first day of competition as well as the original plans of the stadium. In light of the rededication ceremony for Lambeau's newer additions, Gustafson said she hopes the energy of the original stadium still stays alive for home games, but then added emphatically, "It will. Yes, it definitely will."