Donald Flock was a man of many talents: an architect, fundraiser, sailor, wood worker, restaurateur, musician — even a clown.
Every Sunday until about two months ago, Flock would head to his restaurant, Old Naples Pub, with his six-sided harmonica, jamming with harp-guitar player Andy Wahlberg on folk hits such as “Camptown Races” and “Red River Valley.”
Flock, who designed the Collier County Museum and opened Old Naples Pub, The Village Pub and others, died Monday. He was 79.
“He was the driving force and put all the pubs together,” said 77-year-old Steve Briggs, Flock’s business partner with son Timothy Flock, 52, and Kent Schooley, 53. “He and his son not only designed Old Naples Pub, they built that place. Every single nail they pounded because we were short of funds.”
Briggs met Flock in 1979, when there weren’t many places in Naples or Fifth Avenue South to eat. “His idea was to have a place in Naples we could all enjoy,” he said.
When it was built in 1990, they couldn’t afford to pay a musician, but in walked John Esquivel, who recognized their old piano and began playing — living off tips until they could pay him.
“He still tickles the ivories,” Briggs said, noting that’s because Flock treated his employees well, taking them to Keewaydin Island for holidays and celebrations. “He really wanted everybody to enjoy themselves, have a good time and still work. Because of that attitude, people have been with us since the day we opened.”
Flock, who operated architecture firms in St. Charles, Illinois, later moved to Naples and in 1980, opened several architecture partnerships, including Flock & Associates. His designs can be seen around Naples, including the pavilion at Third Street South and Broad Avenue, homes in Port Royal, Aqualane Shores, the prizewinning former Wasmer home on Gordon’s Pass, Flock’s own home on Central Avenue and Old Naples Pub.
“He had a creative mind,” Briggs said. “I think people would admit the old Naples Pub has a unique atmosphere. He was a terrific, creative genius.”
Wahlberg, who last played with him two months ago, said Flock would come every Sunday night to play traditional folk songs and eat a hamburger or ribs.
“He particularly liked the old doughboy songs of World War I,” Wahlberg said, adding that Flock had an unusual six-sided harmonica embossed with small letters indicating each key. “His eyesight wasn’t that good. I used to tease him about it. Every time I had to change keys, I had to change him.”
“He would give me this look. He would just ham it up and the audience would just love it,” Wahlberg said, adding that Flock told customers he was trying to take away his harmonica. “He was a real ham, a real comedian. Everybody just loved him.”
Flock’s wife, Patricia, said he made life fun for everyone, including dressing up as a clown and taking his children for motorcycle rides, the children never realizing it was him until years later when they found his clown outfit. “He was in charge of fun while the children were growing up and I was in charge of everything else,” she said.
Collier County Museum Director Ron Jamro said the museum wouldn’t exist without Flock, the president of Friends of the Museum and a founding board member.
“He not only designed the museum and expansion, he designed the grounds and then he gave the designs to the museum as a gift,” Jamro said of construction in 1985-86, noting Flock had a vision of a locomotive, waterfall and outdoor features. “He designed this whole outdoor environment to wrap around the museum. It was genius. He had tremendous vision and imagination. He also was tremendous fun.”
Jamro said Flock also worked to raise the money to make the museum happen, enlisting Gary Carlson to build it, Jack Lieber as the landscape architect and Richard Geary as the interior designer. “That was just our team of all stars and they all gave their services for Don Flock — and there were many more.”
“Don Flock is the main reason the Collier County Museum exists,” he added. “We owe him a lot. The museum owes him a lot.”
In addition to his wife and son Tim, Flock is survived by his son Thomas; daughters Naomi Lane of Naples, Mary S. Lempa of LaGrange, Illinois, and Rebecca F. Loos of Pomfret Center, Connecticut; his brother, Richard; sister Marilynne McDonald of Yellow Springs, Ohio; numerous grandchildren and his Labradoodle, Darth. A Memorial Mass will be celebrated 10 a.m. Saturday at St. Ann Catholic Church, 475 9th Ave. South, Naples.
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