Dr. F. A. Kroger

KROGER, DR. F. A. Distinguished Scientist and USC Professor Emeritus Dr. Ferdinand Anne Kroger (Eddy) was born on September 11, 1915 in Amsterdam, Netherlands, the youngest of six children born to Anna and Hendrik Kroger. His fine intelligence and inquiring mind led him to be one of the youngest candidates, at 22, to receive a Ph.D. in Physical Chemistry from the University of Amsterdam in 1937. His daughter, Catharine, reported that Dr. Kroger passed away on March 17, 2006 in Encinitas, California of complications from a fall and Alzheimer's Disease. Between 1937 and 1958 Dr. Kroger worked as a research scientist at the Philips Natuurkundig Laboratorium, a part of Royal Philips Electrical, N.V., Eindhoven, the Netherlands. From 1958 to 1964 he worked at the Mullard Research Laboratory, Salfords, Surrey, England. In 1964, the Kroger family moved to the U.S. as Dr. Kroger became one of the founding professors in the new Materials Science Department, in the Electrical Engineering department at the University of Southern California. In 1972, he was the first recipient of the David Packard Chair in Electrical Engineering at USC. In 1983 he received the USC Viterbi School of Engineering Research Award. His published books include The Chemistry of Imperfect Crystals, the second revised edition was published in 1972 by American Elsevier. This book represented the definitive survey of the field of Material Science. He also authored voluminous research articles in his field. He was a member of the Royal Dutch Academy of Sciences and was awarded the Chandon Gold Medal from the French Society of Minerology and Crystallography in 1979. In 1980, he retired from his academic and administrative duties at USC. He held the status of Professor Emeritus on the USC faculty until his death. His was a long and distinguished career where he was known as an eminent authority in his field. Dr. Kroger's work contributed significantly to the basic understanding of electronic materials and the development of many practical devices. He furthered the knowledge vital to semiconductor technology. A scientist with a keen sense of social responsibility, he cautioned that unless humans become willing to sacrifice some of the amenities of modern life, that science could become like an 'uncontrollable cancerous growth.' "Searching is certainly a part of humanity," he said, "but to what extent does the nature of man require that we explore new areas and create?" In studying crystals and the chemistry of light, heat, and electricity, he inquired into the very nature of what many religious traditions and modern physics believe is our energetic essence. His work was truly vast with far reaching implications. He would often ask or comment, "Is it necessary?", implying 'what is the purpose? Does it really further the human condition? Is there a simpler way?' Inventive and scientific genius that he was, he also yearned for simpler, less complicated times, when technology was not moving so fast and perhaps getting ahead of human understanding of the implications of development. He pondered the issue, speaking of the Amchatka nuclear test, "If we already have a bomb that can kill X number of people, is it necessary to develop one that can top that number?" Dr. Kroger loved art, literature and enjoyed painting and music. He was an intrepid recycler. He loved nature, the ocean, sailing, long walks, warm weather, and organic gardening. He twice participated in the Elfstedentocht, the 124 mile Dutch skating competition. He enjoyed the simple and primal pleasure of the sun on his face in a beautiful garden in the company of loved ones. It didn't get any better than that for Eddy. Dr. Kroger was preceded in death by his second wife, Inka Pietersz. His survivors include his first wife, Elisabeth Nicholson of Carlsbad, California, his son Frank Kroger of Seattle, Washington, his daughter Catharine Kroger-Diamond and grandson Matthew Kroger-Diamond, Carlsbad, California and his grandson Robert Pietersz and his granddaughter Solange Pietersz, his 'little angel', Leiden, the Netherlands. Services were held Monday, March 20, at Silverado Care Center in Encinitas, California, with ashes to be scattered in his beloved Pacific Ocean.Please sign the guest book at obituaries.uniontrib.com