Neal Crampton ’51

Neal Crampton ’51, an international businessman who lived or worked in the Far East for many years, died at his home in Yarmouth Port, Massachusetts, on January 12, 2015. Neal had worked for DuPont’s textiles (man-made fibers) division in the United States for 20 years when the company sent him to Tokyo as director of marketing for all of Asia. “It changed our lives,” he said later. “My family and I were bitten by the Asia bug. We visited all parts of the Far East during a fascinating period of great change following President Nixon’s overtures to China.” Neal returned to the United States to join a textile trading company and later started his own trading firm, focusing on China, Taiwan and Korea. Neal was part of a Dartmouth family that included his father, Alfred Crampton ’22, uncle Henry Learnard ’24, brother H. Richardson ’49, son David ’79 and grandson Bryan ’17. He had three children, 12 grandchildren and one great-grandchild. At Dartmouth Neal majored in history, played football and was a member of Beta Theta Phi and Sphinx. Following graduation he joined the U.S. Army, serving as a first lieutenant and platoon leader in Korea, where he was awarded the Bronze Star. Neal and his wife, Peggy, who survives him, continued their international travels in retirement, expanding their reach to include much of Europe. They shared an interest in sports as active tennis and paddle tennis players, golfers and skiers.