Edward Anderton Kritzer, age 84 of Lexington, Virginia, died Friday, December 31, 2010.
He was a native of Newport News, Virginia, and the only child of the late John Edward Kritzer and Edna Anderton Kritzer.
He was a graduate of the Fork Union Military Academy.
He attended the Virginia Military Institute and was a graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point, NY and the Air Force Institute of Technology. Following his graduation from West Point, he was commissioned in the Air Force and served on active duty for 20 years, retiring in the grade of Lt. Colonel.
His entire Air Force career was in nuclear energy programs of the Department of Defense, and included assignments at the Los Alamos and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratories.
At the time of his retirement he was chief of the Plans Branch of the Division of Military Application of the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission. He also served as special weapons officer of the 49th Air Division in England at the time when a U.S. tactical atomic capability was first introduced into NATO.
Following his retirement from the Air Force he served as an official of the U.S. Department of Commerce for 12 years. At that time he headed the group that evaluated export license applications for digital computers and related products intended for sale to the Soviet Union and other communist countries.
Following his retirement from the Commerce Department, he served as a consultant to the U.S. computer industry in international trade matters.
Colonel Kritzer and his wife moved to Lexington in 1993. He was a member of the Rockbridge Volunteers Chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution and the R.E. Lee Memorial Church.
He is survived by his wife, Peggy Kritzer, of Lexington and three daughters, Peggy Keene, Sarah Larson, Martha Gray; one son, David McCall; eight grandchildren and three great grandchildren.
In lieu of flowers the family suggests contributions to the VMI Foundation, P.O. Box 932, Lexington, VA 24450, or the West Point Fund, Association of Graduates, USMA, West Point NY, 10996-1607.
Arrangements are being handled by the Harrison Funeral Home & Crematory, Lexington, VA.
