Dr. Richard Kroner

  Dr. Richard Kroner passed away on May 10, 2020 at Vassar Brothers Medical Center in Poughkeepsie, NY of complications from COVID-19. He was one month shy of his 87th birthday. His daughter Felicia was by his side, holding his hand during his final hours.

  Richard Samuel Kroner was born in Newark, NJ on June 20, 1933 to Lawrence and Pearl Kroner. He grew up in Maplewood, NJ. After graduating from Columbia High School in Maplewood, Richard attended Rutgers University, graduating in 1954. In 1956 he enlisted in the Army, and he served in France as a Specialist. After returning from France, he made the decision to become a Medical Doctor. He received his Doctor of Medicine from New York Medical College in 1964. On April 12, 1965, he married Louisa Giaccone of New York, New York. In 1976 Richard and Louisa moved to Mountain Lakes, NJ where they raised their two children and lived for 30 years.

  Richard absolutely loved being a physician and was continuously fascinated by the science of medicine, constantly reading and attending meetings. He was known by his patients, colleagues and community as an extremely compassionate and gentle doctor with a unique skill for being a truly gifted diagnostician. He specialized in Infectious Diseases and was on the forefront of treating patients at the beginning of the HIV/AIDS crisis of the 1980s. He treated many patients with HIV at a time when many other doctors were reluctant to treat this population due to fear. He maintained his medical practice until 1996 when he retired to enjoy his other passions in life.

  Richard was an avid fan of classical music and was a talented pianist himself. He found solace in listening to all classical music but had a particular love for Beethoven. His favorite piece was Beethoven’s Piano Sonata No. 32 (Opus 111), which he often played on the piano. He derived great joy from attending live classical symphonies, operas and Broadway musicals, which were a frequent outing for him and Louisa. Richard loved Manhattan. He began his medical practice there and continued to visit The City for the rest of his life. He also loved travel and was fortunate to have extensively explored Europe and much of the United States.

  Richard was blessed with great intelligence and a curious mind. He was an avid reader of the New York Times and nonfiction books. His brain was a virtual encyclopedia of knowledge of history, politics, the stock market, music and the arts. He was constantly in search of more knowledge. He loved meeting friends for lunch and political discussions and was fond of friendly banter and good-natured debates. He was a proud and passionate Democrat.

  Richard was a genuinely caring soul. He loved giving advice and taking care of his loved ones. His smile and sense of humor were appreciated by family, friends and strangers. He loved spending time with his grandchildren, whom he adored tremendously. He cared deeply for his family and friends and was always supportive and helpful.

  Richard’s greatest love in life was his family. He is survived by his wife, Louisa; his son and daughter-in-law, Joshua and Jacinta Kroner; his daughter and son-in-law, Felicia and Scott Black; and his four loving grandchildren, Sofia, Leo, Juliette and Bella.

Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, a celebration of his life has been postponed until such gatherings can be done safely.

A great soul never dies. — Maya Angelou. Arrangements entrusted with Joseph J Darrow Sr Funeral Home Inc. 39 So Hamilton St Poughkeepsie, NY 12601 845-452-1840. To send online condolences please visit www.darrowfuneralhome.org

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