In Remembrance: Arnold H. Kritz ’61PhD Died on April 16 2018

Professor Arnold Herman Kritz passed away on April 16, 2018. He was born in Providence, Rhode Island, on January 6, 1935, the son of the late Minnie and Morris Kritz, and the younger brother of Cantor Karl (Harriet) Kritz. He was educated in the Providence school system, received his ScB from Brown University (1954) and his MS and PhD in physics from Yale University (1961). 

He married Barbara Borodach of Willimantic, Connecticut, in 1957. They have three children: Ann-Sheryl (Steven) White, Barry (Joan Rubin) Kritz, and David (Amy) Kritz. They have nine grandchildren: Sam and Rebecca Kritz; Micah, Ariel (Lisa) and Yair White; and Solomon, Adam, Gabriel and Isaac Kritz. They recently met their great-granddaughter, Negev-Shira White.  

For the last 26 years, Arnold was a professor and a former chair of the physics department at Lehigh University. He was a leading figure in the area of computational plasma physics, was a fellow of the American Physical Society, and published more than 100 papers in peer-reviewed publications. He was a passionate advocate for nuclear fusion, which would provide the world with a source of renewable, clean energy. 

Prof. Kritz was retired from Hunter College, City University of New York, where he was chairman of the physics department. Throughout his career he was a mentor to many students and he spent a great deal of time to ensure each one’s professional success. 

Arnold was an active member of the Jewish communities in which he lived. He lived in Princeton Junction, New Jersey, for over 20 years and was a member of the Princeton Jewish Center, where he served as cochair of the building committee. When he moved to Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, he became a member of Congregation Brith Shalom, where he served as a member of the Chevra Kadisha. He also served the community as a board member of the Jewish Federation. In recent years he became a member of Congregation Sons of Israel in Allentown, where he frequently attended learning programs. 

Arnold actively participated in his children’s and grandchildren’s lives and shared his loved of the outdoors with them; hiking, camping, skiing, and traveling with them gave him great pleasure. He volunteered with Boy Scout troops for many years, and organized 50-mile hiking and canoeing trips. Dad enjoyed sharing his love of gardening with family and neighbors alike, many of whom were the beneficiaries of the zucchini that never seemed to stop coming off of the vines. Arnold enjoyed competing at every sport and game, including (over the years) poker, tennis, squash, pool, chess, and wind-surfing. In recent years, he rekindled his childhood love of—or obsession with—duplicate bridge, where he earned the title of life master with over 2,600 points. He was always striving to improve his game through reading and collaboration with his bridge partners. 

Arnold loved traveling with his wife and beloved partner Barbara by his side. Many of his trips were tied to physics conferences and presenting his research at institutions or associations all over the world, and competing at bridge tournaments. Together they enjoyed learning about the cultures of other countries and seeing their beautiful scenery. 

During their 60-year marriage, Arnold and Barbara were an inseparable team. Arnold always acknowledged that he could not have achieved his professional success without her constant presence, support, and love.

—Submitted by the family.

Lehigh University posted a tribute on their website.