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Darrell E. “Doc” Criss died Oct. 9 at the age of 79.
He was a member of the Class of 1943 and a retired professor and department head at
Rose-Hulman.
Criss had spent more than 40 years at Rose-Hulman when he retired in 1988. During his
tenure with the college, he was a student (electrical engineering), a professor of
electrical engineering, chairman of electrical engineering, director of the computer
center, chairman of computer science and dean of faculty.
Although Criss contributed to Rose in various positions, he will be remembered most of all
as the “father” of computers at the college. He helped coordinate the purchase
of the school’s first computer in 1960, and he was instrumental in developing the
Institute’s computer science degree program during the 1970s.
“Our first machine was a Bendix Model G15, which cost $50,000,” Crisss
remembered during a 1988 Echoes interview.
“It was a hybrid vacuum tube and solid state outfit with only 2,000 words of
drum-rotating memory.”
In addition to his academic duties, Criss was active with the Alumni Association, serving
as secretary-treasurer for 18 years. He served as editor of the Alumni Quarterly, the
forerunner to Echoes. He also received the Honor Alumnus Award in 1974.
President Samuel Hulbert was quoted in a local paper as saying of Criss: “I think of
his smile. He had a friendly greeting for everybody that walked down the hall, and he
would be willing to stop and help any student on any kind of problem.”
Criss earned his master’s and doctoral degrees at the University of Illinois. He was
a veteran of World War II, serving in China and as a liaison officer in charge of
communications between China and The White House. He was a retired colonel.
Survivors include his wife of 57 years, Jo Ann McCullough Criss and children Pamela
Spelbring, Mark Alan Criss, Cynthia Joan Criss, David Darrell Criss, Elizabeth Elaine
Carpenter, Lisa Carol Dickerson, Timothy and Eric Criss.
 
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