John Read Cronin, 73, passed away on June 30, 2010. He graduated from The College of Wooster and earned a Ph.D. in biochemistry from the University of Colorado, School of Medicine in Denver. John was a professor of biochemistry at ASU from 1966 until his retirement in 2000. Shortly after joining ASU, he became interested in Exobiology, a then emerging field of research sponsored by NASA for the study of the organic materials in extraterrestrial environments. He decided to study meteorites, in particular the carbon containing carbonaceous chondrites, which are collected at the ASU Center for Meteorite Studies. Along with colleagues, he spearheaded pioneering research that resulted in the recognition and detailed characterization of many of these meteorites' organic compounds, shedding new light on the processes that preceded the origins of life. These findings were published in scientific journals such as Science and Nature, and John was often invited to present them at conferences around the world. He is survived by his wife of 47 years, Muriel, a son, two daughters and two step grand children.