William Drew Critser

Critser, William Drew, passed away on December 26, 2012 of natural causes. He was born in Wichita, Kansas on March 18, 1938. He was the son of Dale and Helen Critser of Wichita, and brother of Carolyn Dillon of Hutchinson. He was an uncle of Brad, Steve, and Reed Dillon of Hutchinson and Lawrence. He graduated from Wichita High School East in 1956 and attended Kansas State University, where he received a BS in mathematics. At K-State he was vice-president of Beta Theta Pi fraternity, and president of Scabbard and Blade. He entered military service as a 2nd Lieutenant, Army Ordinance, serving as post billeting officer at Redstone Arsenal, Huntsville, Alabama in 1961-62. In 1963 he went to work as a systems analyst and computer programmer for The Banker's Life Company (now Principal Finance) of Des Moines, Iowa. He was a member of Life Office Management Association. For eight years he was also a Captain in the active army reserve. Drew resigned from Banker's in 1973 to attend Drake University, where he received a BA in painting, magna cum laude. After graduation he set up residence in El Rito, New Mexico working as an artist a venture artistically, if not commercially successful. He worked for several years with land surveyors in Roswell and Ruidoso, NM, then returned home where he set up and taught the first computer classes at Northern New Mexico College (El Rito). He also conducted classes at the College in Espanosa. He designed, programmed, and implemented the first computer billing system at La Clinica del Norte of El Rito. Drew also worked as a volunteer at Ghost Ranch near Abiquiu, NM. As owner-builder, he constructed two adobe houses in El Rito with the aid of local workers. Plans for marriage to a woman in El Rito having gone awry, Drew moved to Brighton, England in 1994 where he resumed painting. Interested in European culture, Drew traveled extensively in Spain and France, and spoke both languages. He returned to the states in 1999 and lived in Eugene and Portland, Oregon, and later in Denver, CO, until his demise. A memorial service will be held on Saturday, Jan. 5, 2013 at 11:00 A.M., at Downing & Lahey Mortuary East, 6555 E. Central, Wichita. Memorials may be sent to the Drew Critser Fund at the Hutchinson Community Foundation, Box 298, Hutchinson, KS 67504. Share tributes online at: www.dlwichita.com