Dr.
Andrew Paul Krapcho passed away, peacefully, at the University of
Vermont Medical Center at the grand old age of 92.
Born
in Alden, Pa., to Martin and Anna Krapcho, Paul was the youngest of
four children, all of whom were encouraged to attend college to avoid
a coal mining career which ended his father’s life when Paul was
only 11 years old. His older brother John, a PhD chemist, served as
his mentor, and father figure, encouraging him to pursue chemistry as
a career. After earning BS and PhD degrees in chemistry from Penn
State (1953) and Harvard (1957), he then taught at Smith College for
two years, where his soon to be wife, Arlene Fisher, was a student.
They married in the chapel on the Smith College campus in 1958 and
welcomed their first child, Karen, the following year, during his
post doc at Penn State University. He joined the Chemistry Department
at UVM, with the inception of a PhD degree program in 1960. Soon
after his arrival in Vermont, his daughter Susan was born and two
years later, his son, Doug.
During
a 40-year teaching span, he taught organic chemistry to approximately
6,000 undergraduate students and over 400 graduate students, 49 of
whom received PhDs. Amongst his most impactful contributions to
science were the development of a well-known chemical reaction,
regularly referred to as “Krapcho decarboxylation” and
co-discovery of the anticancer drug, pixantrone (trade name Pixuvri),
currently used in the treatment of non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
As
an invited speaker to many international symposia, Paul loved to
travel and enjoyed exploring the plains of Africa, wonders of New
Zealand, temples of India and the Great Wall of China, to name a few
of his destinations. He enjoyed skiing, scuba diving and camping with
his family. He was very fond of sailing and kayaking on Lake
Champlain and enjoyed the naps he and Arlene took up at their cabin
later in their lives.
Paul
is survived by his wife of 66 years, Arlene; their children, Karen
Krapcho and her spouse Whit Reid, Susan Hullinger and her spouse
Monte, and Doug Krapcho and his spouse Cindy; his grandchildren,
Whitney Reid, Jesse Reid, Erin Hullinger, Sylvie Hullinger, Devon
Krapcho and Natalie Krapcho.
A
private graveside service will be held at the Shelburne Cemetery in
early May. In lieu of flowers, Paul would ask that you consider
voting for someone other than Donald Trump in November. Donations can
be made to the A. Paul and Arlene Krapcho Green and Gold Professorship, a foundation near and dear to the both of them.
This article appears in The Animal Issue 2024.