Biographical Note
Grover Sanders Krantz was born on November 5, 1931, to Swedish immigrants in Salt Lake City, Utah, and spent his childhood in Salt Lake City and Rockford, Illinois. His undergraduate studies began at the University of Utah in 1949 but were postponed in 1951 by 18 months of service in the United States Air Force. After being honorably discharged, Krantz attended the University of California, Berkeley, and earned his bachelor's and master's degrees in Anthropology. In 1970, he earned his doctorate in physical anthropology from the University of Minnesota.
From 1968-1998, Krantz served as a professor of physical anthropology at Washington State University in Pullman, Washington. He was considered a leading authority in hominoid evolution and an expert on primate bone structure, specializing in the reconstruction and casting of hominid fossils. Among his numerous publications are the books
Climatic Races and Descent Groups
,
The Process of Human Evolution
, and
Geographical Development of European Languages
. Publicly known for his interest in cryptozoology, Krantz was one of the first established researchers to pursue the question of Bigfoot, or Sasquatch, from a scientific approach. Other research interests included the origin of language and speech, sex identification of skeletons, and early human immigration into America.
After a battle with pancreatic cancer, Krantz passed away on February 14, 2002. At his request, his remains were sent to the University of Tennessee's Anthropology Research Facility, where scientists performed skeletal research of great forensic value. His bones were processed and sent to the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of Natural History to be used in an educational capacity. In 2010, Grover Krantz's skeleton and that of his Irish Wolfhound Clyde were mounted in the museum's exhibit, "Written in Bone: Forensic Files of the 17th-Century Chesapeake."
"Dr. Grover Krantz." Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History. Accessed September 30, 2011. http://anthropology.si.edu/writteninbone/grover_krantz.html
"Grover S. Krantz, 70, Port Angeles, Wash." Lewiston Morning Tribune (Lewiston, ID), February 16, 2002.
Krantz, Grover. "Curriculum Vitae."
Ruane, Michael E. "Natural History Museum Grants Professor's Dying Wish: A Display of his Skeleton." Washington Post, August 11, 2012. Accessed April 12, 2012. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/04/10/AR2009041003357.html.
"Sasquatch expert Grover Krantz dies at age 70." Spokesman-Review (Spokane, WA), February 19, 2002.
Chronology
1931
Born November 5 in Salt Lake City, Utah, to Carl Victor Emmanuel Krantz and Esther Maria (Sanders) Krantz
1949
Begins undergraduate studies at University of Utah
1951-1952
Serves in the United States Air Force at Clovis, New Mexico, as a desert survival instructor
1953
Marries Patricia Howland
Transfers from University of Utah to University of California, Berkeley
1955
Receives B.A. in Anthropology from UC Berkeley
1958
Receives M.A. in Anthropology from UC Berkeley
1960-1966
Works as Museum Technician, R.H. Lowie Museum of Anthropology, UC Berkeley
1966-1968
Works as Visiting Lecturer, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis
1968
Begins work as Assistant Professor in the Anthropology Department, Washington State University
1971
Receives Ph.D. in Anthropology from University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, with the publication of his dissertation "The Origin of Man"
1972
Promoted to Associate Professor in the Anthropology Department, Washington State University
1973
Starts serving on Editorial Board,
Northwest Anthropological Research Notes
1979
Starts serving on Editorial Board,
Evolutionary Theory
1982
Serves as founding member and member of the Board of Directors for the International Society of Cryptozoology (ISC)
Marries Diane Horton
1984
Due to high scores on the Miller Analogy Test, is accepted into Intertel, an organization that accepts only individuals who have scored at or above the 99th percentile on a standardized IQ test
1987
Appears in well-publicized creationism vs. evolution debate with Duane Gish, Washington State University
1988
Organizes and chairs Early Man symposium at the American Anthropological Association meeting in D.C.
1994
Offered Full Professor title within the Anthropology Department, Washington State University
1998
Publishes
Only a Dog
, a story about the relationship between Krantz and his first Irish Wolfhound Clyde
Retires from Washington State University
1999
Appears in the documentary "Sasquatch Odyssey"
2002
Dies February 14 of pancreatic cancer
His remains are processed at the University of Tennessee's Anthropology Research Facility
His bones and bones of his Irish Wolfhounds are donated to the Smithsonian Institution for educational purposes
2010-2013
His mounted bones and bones of his Irish Wolfhound, Clyde, appear in the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History exhibit "Written in Bone: Forensic Files of the 17th-Century Chesapeake"
