Peter M. Crispo ’60

We lost one of our most interesting classmates when Pete “The Dealer” died Dec. 20, 2020, of a stroke. He earned his nickname as a famously successful poker player, often in company with Toma Kucik. Some claimed they earned their way through school on their winnings.

Coming from Mineola (N.Y.) High School, Pete brought his athletic skills to Princeton. He played freshman football and varsity baseball and basketball. He dined at Tiger Inn, majored in psychology, and enlisted in NROTC with the goal of a Marine Corps commission.

Upon graduation Pete married Benita and they had three sons. He proudly served several years as a Marine officer and then entered civilian life with Mutual of New York, first in New York City and then in Syracuse, N.Y., for the balance of his career. Pete suffered increasingly from MS from midlife on, but maintained a positive spirit throughout.

After retirement Pete moved to Melbourne, Fla., in 1997. He married Karen in 2002 and indulged his keen interest in sports and cards, though he confided that he had a tough time beating the old ladies in penny-ante poker at the Senior Center. We offer our sympathies to all his family.