Richard "Dick" M. Crooker of Fogelsville died on April 30, at the age of 78.  He was the husband of Barbara Poti Crooker; father of Rebecca Ceartas, Melora Lynngood, and David Crooker, stepfather of Stacey Krastek; grandfather of five: Reilly, Athena, Demitrius, Danny, and Caitlin.

Born in Brooklyn, NY, he grew up in the Chicago area, graduating from Maine East High School in Park Ridge, IL in 1961.  He earned his BA (cum laude) from Knox College, Galesburg, IL in 1965, and his PhD (with distinction) in physical organic chemistry from UCLA in 1971.

As a research chemist, Dick held positions at Corning Glass Works, Allied Chemical, and GAF, before moving to the Pennwalt Corporation in 1981.  He was Project Leader and Group Leader, developing processes and applications for environmentally friendly fluorocarbon substitutes for ozone-depleting CFCs.  After a French company, Elf Aquitaine, bought Pennwalt in 1991, he became Director of Research and Development for Fluorochemicals and Hydrogen Peroxide until his retirement in 2002.  He was awarded 20 US and 33 foreign patents.  In 1998, he received the Elf Innovation Award for his patent for a successful replacement for a widely-used CFC refrigerant.

Following his retirement, he was active at St. John's Lutheran Church in Fogelsville and in the Applewood community.  He loved hiking, camping, canoeing, traveling, and spending time with his family.  He will be remembered for his big smile and his good sense of humor.

Services will be private.  Arrangements by Keller Funeral Home, Fogelsville.  Online condolences may be offered to the family at www.KellerFuneralHomes.com . In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to St. John's Lutheran Church, PO Box 966, Fogelsville, PA 18051.