Obituaries Obituaries (November 23, 2005)

Gordon Craig

Historian of Germany

Gordon A. Craig, an internationally known historian of Germany, died of heart failure October 30 at The Sequoias in Portola Valley. He was 91.

Professor Craig taught at Stanford University from 1961 until his retirement in 1979. He began his academic career at Yale in 1939, then moved to Princeton in 1941; he was recruited by Stanford following a sabbatical at the Center for Advanced Study in the Behavioral Sciences.

The center was a fertile academic recruiting ground for Stanford in the early 1960s, according to history professor Peter Stansky. "(Mr. Craig's) colleagues at Princeton were aghast when he left," he said. "That was one reason he enjoyed coming here ... to tease them for being stuffy."

Mr. Craig, whom Mr. Stansky described as "the most distinguished historian of modern Germany in this country and possibly one of the greatest in the world," was the author of numerous books and articles.

He served as chairman of the Stanford history department from 1972 to 1975 and 1978 to 1979. In 1973 he received the Dinkelspiel Award for outstanding service to undergraduate education.

Mr. Craig became a public figure in Germany after "The Germans," a book that discussed the German experience, was published there.

He was born in Glasgow, Scotland, and immigrated with his family to Toronto, Canada, and later to Jersey City, New Jersey. He earned four degrees from Princeton, including his doctorate and an honorary degree.

In the late 1930s he attended Oxford University on a Rhodes scholarship.

Shortly before World War II broke out, he visited Germany and was influenced by seeing the Nazi government in its early stages. "As a young American, this made an enormous impression on him," says James Sheehan, Stanford professor of the humanities.

During World War II, he served as a political analyst for the Office of Strategic Services and also served as a captain in the U.S. Marine Corps.

Professor Craig is survived by his wife, Phyllis Craig of Portola Valley; his children, Deborah Preston of Los Altos Hills, Susan Craig of Pasadena, Martha Craig of Peoria, Illinois, and Charles Craig of South Pasadena; sister Jean Clarke of Ontario, Canada; eight grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren. A memorial celebration of Mr. Craig's life will held on the Stanford campus in early 2006.

George Dragan

Former Sequoia vice principal

George L. Dragan, an art teacher and vice principal in the Sequoia Union High School District for 32 years, died at his home in Woodside on November 14. He was 80.

Born in West Virginia, he served in the U.S. Army infantry during World War II.

A resident of San Mateo County for 49 years, he had lived in Woodside for 24 years.

He was a former commissioner for the Port of Redwood City and a member of the San Mateo County Grand Jury.

Mr. Dragan is survived by his wife of 24 years, Patricia Barrett Dragan; and two daughters, Roxanne and Alice Dragan.

Memorials may be made to the George Dragan Scholarship Fund in support of Sequoia High School students, 1201 Brewster Ave., Redwood City, CA 94062. Arrangements were under the direction of Redwood Chapel, Redwood City.

Sister Geraldine Murphy

Religious of the Sacred Heart

Sister Geraldine Murphy, a member of the Religious of the Sacred Heart since 1931, died in Atherton November 15. She was 93.

Sister Murphy was born in Sydney, Nova Scotia. After entering the Society of the Sacred Heart in Albany, New York, she taught for five years, then made her final profession of vows in 1940.

She taught at high school and junior college levels in Canada. With a master's degree in counseling, she was a counselor at Barat College in Illinois, Lone Mountain College in San Francisco, and the International School of the Sacred Heart in Tokyo.

She moved to Oakwood retirement community in Atherton after retiring in 1985. Sister Murphy is survived by her sister, Mary Ann Levins of Halifax, Nova Scotia.

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