Deceased May 16, 2018
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In Memory
Peter Kruidenier died in his sleep on May 16 in La Jolla, Calif., near Scripps hospital, where he was born. His early years were spent in Des Moines, Iowa. After his secondary education at Phillips Exeter Academy, he followed his brother-in-law, Tom Shepard ’40, to Amherst.
My personal recollections of Peter center on two occasions. The first was on Dec. 27, 1952, when a large group from Psi U descended on New York City for the wedding of Peter and Liz Pitlik—after which they returned to live in Amherst’s G.I. village.
The second occasion was in 2014 when Paula and I journeyed to the San Diego Air and Space Museum to see our granddaughter, who was married to a marine stationed nearby. This enabled me to catch up with Peter’s life story.
Upon graduation Peter spent two years in the Army, after which he Joined Look magazine in New York. Success came rapidly. He later invested his savings in a small oil drilling company in Scottsdale, Ariz., where he moved with Liz and their two daughters. A divorce from Liz, and a second one later, sent Peter to an alcohol treatment center. His successful treatment enabled him to remain sober for life and to counsel others.
Shortly before our 2014 meeting, Peter’s family coalesced to persuade him to move to beautiful Casa de Manana in La Jolla, where he had a clear view of the Pacific. Although he suffered from macular degeneration and was declared legally blind, Peter impressed me as someone totally at peace with his life at last. May he rest in peace.
Mike Palmer ’53