John Lawless: Architect to Patient
When TBG architect John Lawless collaborated on the design for Pete Moore Hospice House, he had no way of knowing he would spend his final days there. Yet he approached the project as if he were a patient or caregiver. He imagined what the person standing within the building would want to see and feel. He and his dedicated team at TBG put thoughtful care into ceiling details and soft lighting to bring beauty and calm to patients lying on their backs.
John wanted to be an architect since 7th grade. His talents were uniquely suited to tailoring buildings made for people: he was a great listener, quiet, observant and humble. John’s daughter Heather and wife Lori describe the project as a favorite of John’s career because of its deep community support. When Heather saw the first rendering, it blew her mind. She had worked in health care for years, and never imagined a hospice house could look so beautiful.
It was never the plan for John to be a patient at the hospice house. He and Lori had intentionally planned for their elderly years by renovating the downstairs bedroom and bathroom to remain at home. Shortly after retiring, John was diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease. He moved downstairs, progressed from walkers to wheelchairs, and transitioned from Cascade Home Health to Palliative Care to Hospice.
Lori and Heather took a tour of Pete Moore Hospice House to consider a respite stay for a break and support. They saw exactly what John needed: a high level of continuity and calm to care for the discomfort of unfamiliar sights, sounds and people caused by Parkinson’s. Lori recalls, "Everybody was very helpful, warm, welcoming, compassionate and kind.”
“It was like we were on vacation,” Heather says. They threw the doors open in his room onto the garden patio and listened to the wind blowing and the birds and the people. Heather remembers the staff as walking, talking reminders that life is beautiful; they were not afraid to laugh and chat and listen and look. “You could tell the culture within the walls doesn’t just welcome,” she says, “but it really encourages people to be themselves. There was a lot of love and a lot of expertise.”
When the time came for John to take a second respite stay, he was sick with pneumonia. It quickly became clear the days at the house would be his last. Heather says, “We were so grateful that he was there. It was like being at home, but we were surrounded by a team of people, resources, and all the comforts of home.”
On August 24, 2024, at age 76, John passed away comfortably with Lori, Heather and his son Johnathan by his side. They cannot say for sure whether he was ever cognizant of where he was, but they knew if he did have a moment of recognition, the house’s personal significance would be a wonderful comfort to him.