Klaus Georg Florey

1919 - 2020
Dr. Klaus Georg Florey, noted biochemist and pharmaceutical scientist, died at home in Princeton on August 4th, surrounded by family. He was 101.

Dr. Florey was head of Analytical Research and Development for Bristol-Myers Squibb, where he spent over thirty years of his career. As an expert advisor for the World Health Organization (W.H.O.), Dr. Florey shared his knowledge with developing nations across the world, serving on the W.H.O. Expert Advisory Panel on the International Pharmacopoeia from 1976-93. For twenty-five years, he also served on the Committee of Revision for the United States Pharmacopeia. From 1980-81, he was President of the Academy of Pharmaceutical Sciences and in 1983 became Chairman of the Council of Scientific Society Presidents, the center for national science leadership and policy development, headquartered in Washington, D.C.

As a leader in pharmaceutical science, Dr. Florey received the Research Achievement Award from the American Pharmaceutical Association Foundation in 1987, and in 1990 was awarded the Distinguished Service Award from the American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists, where he was an Academy Fellow. In recognition of his scientific contributions, he was elected as a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, a lifetime honor. Over his long career, Dr. Florey was perhaps best known for creating the annual book series, Analytical Profiles of Drug Substances, a resource used worldwide and for which he served twenty-two years as the founding editor.

Born July 4, 1919 in Dresden, Germany, Klaus was the eldest son of Friedrich Florey and Margarethe Pick. He completed the Academic Gymnasium in Coburg before receiving his Master's in Chemistry at the University of Heidelberg. As Klaus' mother was of Jewish ancestry, his family was persecuted during WWII. Miraculously, Klaus survived the war and made the decision with his brother Peter to leave Germany. In 1947, Klaus traveled by refugee ship to New York City and began his new life in the United States. He became a naturalized U.S. citizen in 1952 and went on to earn his PhD in Biochemistry from the University of Pennsylvania in 1954.

Klaus' curiosity never waned. He always had a book by his side and explored a wide range of literature, often translating German literary works into English. Klaus was an avid traveler and enjoyed adventures with his family in the Alps and across the globe. He had a lifelong love of classical music and art, regularly attending concerts in Princeton and New York and frequently visiting the Metropolitan Museum of Art. In 1991, he joined the Princeton University Art Museum Docent Association, leading tours and serving as the archivist.

Dr. Florey is survived by: his beloved wife of 64 years, Anne Major Florey; his son, Peter Georg Florey and his wife, Patricia; his daughter, Andrea Florey Bradford and her husband, Samuel C. Bradford II; and eight grandchildren. A memorial gathering will be held in the future. Gifts in Dr. Florey's honor may be made to the Princeton University Art Museum Docent Association, Princeton University Art Museum, Princeton, NJ 08544-1018.