Paul Kropp

Paul J. "Skip" Kropp

June 29, 1935 - June 5, 2020

Chapel Hill, NC

Paul J. "Skip" Kropp, 84, died June 5, 2020 at Carol Woods Retirement Community in Chapel Hill after a brief illness. He was born on June 29, 1935 in Springfield Ohio, son of Paul and Loretta Kropp. Paul was high school valedictorian, maxima cum laude at Notre Dame University, and earned a PhD in organic chemistry at University of Wisconsin on a National Science Foundation Fellowship. After several years as Research Chemist at Proctor & Gamble in Cincinnati, he joined the faculty at the University of North Carolina as Professor of Chemistry, where he taught from 1970 until 2016. His love for teaching is evident by the countless students whose lives he touched through mentoring and friendship. He is recipient of the Tanner Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching, the Johnston Award for Excellence in Teaching, and the Edward Kidder Graham Outstanding Faculty Award. He championed the formation of the UNC Applied Sciences program. Skip founded the UNC Boxing Club and was well known at Wollen Gym and the Student Activity Center where he worked out for 5 decades. He was an active member of the Newman Catholic Student Center. He was married for over 50 years to Patricia Morrissey Kropp (1938-2014) and is survived by son David (Mabel) Kropp of Columbus Ohio, daughter Sonia (Jody) Thomas of Chapel Hill, sister-in-law Barbara Morrissey of Kenosha, Wis., brother- and sister-in-law Tim and Sharon Morrissey of Richmond Va., and grandchildren Logan, Claire, Maia, Dylan and Tyler. A memorial service will be held at Newman Catholic Student Center at a later date, as allowed by coronavirus guidelines.