Witold Krassowski, 82, died at his home in Saratoga on Aug. 31.

Krassowski was born in the village of Piesza-Wola in rural Poland. He volunteered for service in the Polish Army during the German invasion of Sept. 1, 1939, and later continued in the fight against the occupation as part of the Polish Underground Army.

A 2nd Lieutenant, he was an expert in explosives and fought throughout the war to sabotage German communications and rail transport. He was wounded during the Warsaw Uprising of August 1944, and received Poland's highest military honor for gallantry and heroism, the Virtuti Militari. After the Polish surrender, he was a German prisoner of war for eight months before being liberated by the British.

Krassowski came to America in 1948 on a full scholarship from Purdue University. After receiving his degree, he received his doctorate in 1957 from UCLA. He came to the University of Santa Clara that same year as the first instructor and founder of the new department of sociology. He was chairman of the department for 24 years and gave extensive service to the university in many ways. He founded the first Western Undergraduate Anthropology/Sociology Research conference in 1973, which today remains a prestigious event on the West Coast. In 1992, he received the Distinguished Teaching Award from the Pacific Sociological Association. Throughout his career, he also conducted many seminars in communications for Bay Area companies and taught summer sessions in many overseas countries. He retired from teaching in 2001.

Krassowski is survived by his wife of 53 years, Therese Nolan. He is also survived by his son Witold Jr., known as "Fred," and his wife, Beth, of Spokane, Wash.; his son Tom of Los Gatos; his son Dan and his wife, Elaine, of Columbia Station, Ohio; his sister, Jaska Krassowska of Warsaw, Poland; and many nieces and nephews. He had four grandchildren, Robert, Carolyn, Laura and Kate.

Donations in his name can be made to the Sociology Program, Santa Clara University, 500 El Camino Real, Santa Clara, CA 95053.