Eugene J. Kratz

Gene Kratz, of Alexandria, VA, died on Monday, May 6th, at the family home, surrounded by his three loving sisters. Gene was diagnosed last year with a rare cancer, cholangiocarcinoma.

Born March 19, 1952 on Long Island, NY, to Frank and Jane Kratz, Gene was the oldest of four children. While his father was in the U.S. Army, the family traveled to such exotic locales as Ethiopia and Hawaii. Settling down in Springfield, Virginia, Gene graduated from West Springfield High School in 1970. He went on to graduate from both George Mason University and the University of Maryland, earning multiple degrees; a BA in Government and Fine Arts, a BS in Physical science, and an MS in Meteorology.

Gene was truly a modern day Renaissance Man, excelling at numerous and diverse disciplines. Travel, sports, the arts, and science, Gene loved them all. He traveled the world with friends and family; to Europe, the Caribbean, Iceland, Chile, and all across the U.S. He played football in high school, was an avid tennis player, and also enjoyed golf, rugby, sailing and biking. When he wasn't participating in these activities, he was watching them, whether by attending a US Open Tennis tournament or simply watching a Redskins game on TV. Gene was also an accomplished artist. Fascinated by the human face, Gene created many beautiful portraits for lucky family members, friends, or even locals at the bar where he worked at night to help pay for school. But Gene's biggest passion was weather. Ever since childhood, Gene always had an eye to the sky, and he worked at Raytheon for over 20 years on weather satellites, and remote sensing of the atmosphere to predict weather patterns. He truly loved his work, and it was wonderful to have our own "weatherman" in the family.

Gene was smart, athletic, funny, and talented. He was a warm and gentle person who always had a good story to tell, but never anything bad to say about anyone. To know him was to love him, and he will be terribly missed by us all. Gene is survived by his sisters, Barbara Kratz, Margaret Michel, and Theresa Hennesy; his brother-in-laws Jean-Yves Michel and Shawn Hennesy; his niece Julia and nephews Cyril, Michael and Timothy; and many devoted cousins.

There will be a wake to celebrate Gene's life at the family home in Ashburn, Virginia. We welcome all family, friends, and colleagues to join in this celebration and to honor a wonderful man.