Walter Crooks

Walter Crooks, 84, of Santa Barbara and, formerly, of Los Gatos, California, has died of liver failure on January 12, 2015. He was born on January 8, 1931, in Warrington, Cheshire, England, the second child of Joseph and Millie (née Broadhurst) Crooks and became the first in his family to attend university. His parents scraped together the resources for books and uniforms when he won a scholarship to the prestigious Boteler Grammar School, founded by Henry VIII. He continued his education at Wigan and District Mining and Technical College, interrupted by service in the British Army. He completed his graduate studies at the University of Southampton, eventually attaining a fellowship in the Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC). Having lived through the Great Depression and World War II, Dr. Crooks found job opportunities very limited in post-war Britain. He had worked many jobs since the age of 14, including Joseph Crosfields and Sons, Warrington, and Imperial Paper in Stirling, Scotland. In 1960, Dr. Crooks was offered a position by West Virginia Pulp and Paper Company (now WestVaco), which sponsored his immigration on the Queen Elizabeth I to Williamsburg, Pennsylvania. He specialized in paper coating, including some special papers involved in the first Gemini Space Missions. In 1966, Dr. Crooks accepted a position in the Research Department with IBM, in San Jose, California, concentrating in the research and development of printers and copiers, when these technologies were in their infancy. He eventually published 63 patents and rose to the position of Senior Scientist. Dr. Crooks retired from IBM after almost 30 years, and moved with his wife to Santa Barbara, where he continued to consult, played English lawn bowls, and avidly followed British football (soccer). He himself played soccer all his life into his early 60's. Surviving are his wife of 38 years, Nan Kim; his older sister, Marie Crooks Grayston of Appleton, Cheshire, England; two children from a previous marriage, Dr. Gary Walter (Bridget King) Crooks of Philadelphia, PA, and Kimberlee Anne (Michael) Silva of Milford, NJ; and six grandchildren. Services will be private. Donations in his memory can be sent to the Royal Society of Chemistry (Burlington House, Piccadilly, London W1J 0BA, England), the Abramson Cancer Center of the University of Pennsylvania (for research in liver disease)(c/o Penn Medicine Development, 3535 Market Street, Suite 750, Philadelphia, PA 19104), or Saint Raphael Catholic Church (5444 Hollister Avenue, Santa Barbara, CA 93111). Arrangements entrusted to McDermott-Crockett Mortuary (805) 569-2424.