He was such a nice guy, huh? Too bad you didn't have a chance to do your smoking deal with him before he died.
Harold Crasilneck
CRASILNECK, Dr., PhD. HAROLD Dallas, Texas--Dr. Harold B. Crasilneck, PhD who has received national and international recognition for his groundbreaking research in the application of hypnosis in clinical psychology died on June 7th, following a lengthy illness. He was 87 years-old. Dr. Crasilneck was born in San Antonio, Texas, the son of Kate and John Crasilneck. He grew up hunting, fishing and camping with his many friends in the Texas Hill Country. He attended Beacon Hill Elementary School; Mark Twain Junior High School; and Thomas Jefferson High School and was one of the finest musicians to come from San Antonio. His trumpet playing achieved outstanding recognition and he won local, state and national awards. He was awarded a musical scholarship to St. Mary's University, where he distinguished himself as an outstanding student and musician. Dr. Crasilneck attended St. Mary's for two years and the University of Texas at Austin for six months. It was then World War II broke out and he enlisted in the armed forces. He joined the United States Marine Corps and based at Camp Pendleton for training before being deployed to New Zealand. He was assigned to the 3rd Marine Division sent to Guadalcanal and Bougainville where he participated in intense jungle combat. Dr. Crasilneck earned the rank of Sergeant. During the campaign in the Pacific, he became extremely ill with malaria. Following 13 months of recuperation, he was honorably discharged and returned to San Antonio to continue his recovery. Dr. Crasilneck decided to return to college and entered Trinity University and graduated with the highest honors in 1947. He then attended the University of Texas at Austin in 1948 and nine months later earned his Masters Degree in Psychology. He then returned to Trinity as an instructor. Dr. Crasilneck then attended the University of Houston where he earned his PhD in Clinical Psychology in 1954. While at Houston, he was a teaching Fellow. He interned at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School and was asked to join the faculty at the end of his internship. He eventually became Clinical Professor of Psychiatry, Psychology and Anesthesiology. In the late 1950's Dr. Crasilneck, in cooperation with the Southwestern Medical School, utilized hypnosis during surgical procedures and for the control of pain. The most significant application of hypnosis in pain control was to treat severe burn patients. Dr. Crasilneck received many awards for his work in clinical hypnosis and as a medical educator. He was recognized by the American and Texas Medical Associations. Articles about his research were published in the British medical journal, Lancet as well as Life and Time Magazines. Over the half century of private practice, Dr. Crasilneck impacted many people's lives, not only his patients, but those within the medical community. Dr. Crasilneck lectured all over the world and continued to teach on the clinical faculty of Southwestern Medical School, an institution he was dedicated to and loved deeply. He retired in October of 2007. Dr. Crasilneck was the first President of both the Society for Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis and the American Society for Clinical Hypnosis. He also served as President of the Dallas Psychological Association and the North Texas Society for Clinical Hypnosis. He has received many prestigious awards, including being honored for the Raymond Willie Distinguished Chair, held by Nobel Laureate Alfred Gilman at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School. Dr. Crasilneck was always surrounded by his loving family. His loving wife Sherry has been his companion for 49 years. Their love and devotion for each other is recognized by all who have known them. He is also survived by children Susie and Robert I. Knopf of St. Louis, MO; Leo and Candace E. Hyman of Dallas and Susan and Jonathan C. Knopf of Warren, NJ. Additionally, he is survived by seven grandchildren, Randy Knopf, Brian Rosen, Jennifer Bernstein, Shayna Rosen Taibel, Erin Knopf, Mollie Knopf and Travis Knopf and two great grandchildren Rebecca Knopf and Natalie Taibel. Memorial services will be held at 2:00 pm, Tuesday, June 10 at Sparkman Hillcrest Funeral Chapel with interment at Temple Emanu-El Cemetery in Dallas. In lieu of flowers, please make donations to the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School. Published in the Dallas Morning News on 6/9/2008.