Dr. Fredric J. Baur was an American chemist and food storage
technician who specialized in research and development (R&D) and quality
control for Proctor & Gamble. His most notable invention was the design and
patent of the Pringles potato crisps packaging: a distinctive can. Baur
received a patent for the packing of the curved, stacked chips in 1970 – three
years after he first filed for it. Other notable accomplishments of Baur's
include the development of frying oils and freeze-dried ice cream.
Dr. Fredric Baur was born on June 14, 1918. He received a
Bachelor's degree from the University
of Toledo, and a Master's degree and a
Ph.D. from Ohio State University.
During World War II, Fredric served in the United States Navy as an aviation
physiologist stationed in San Diego.
During this time, aviation physiologists conducted research on the medical
aspects of flight. He started working for Proctor & Gamble in the late
1940s.
Later in life, Baur became a compliance specialist for
Proctor & Gamble. "He had a worldwide reputation in plant sanitation and
traveled all over the world inspecting plants," said his daughter, Linda
L. Baur, of Diamondhead, Miss. Outside of work, Baur also lectured
and wrote books, publications, and articles.
Of all of his accomplishments, the Pringles can was his
proudest achievement. The can – a tube-shaped container to hold the curved,
stackable snack - distinguishes Pringles from other types of chips even today.
Baur was so proud of his design that he asked to be buried in one when he died.
On May 4, 2008, Dr. Fredric Baur died at the age of 89. His children honored
his request, and part of his remains were buried in a Pringles can at the Arlington Memorial
Gardens in Cincinnati, Ohio.
The other half of his remains are in an urn.
Resources:
http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080531/NEWS0104/805310357/1060/NEWS01?fever_for_the_flavor_os_a_pringle
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fred_Baur
http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/06/02/pringles.burial.ap/index.html
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