In Memoriam: Don Krill
Dear GSSW Faculty and Staff,
I want to share with you the news that Don Krill (MSW '58), Professor Emeritus, passed on December 24, 2025. Don was a long-time, and highly regarded, member of the GSSW Community. He retired as a Full Professor from GSSW after serving on the faculty for 30 years.
While at GSSW, Don created the treatment model, Existential Social Work Practice. He wrote the seminal text, and two additional books, focused on existential social work. His work was notable because although it had spirituality at its core it was embraced by broad audiences. At GSSW, he also created and taught a course focused on existential social work practice.
Other areas of note related to his contributions to GSSW included co-teaching in the drug dependency concentration when it was introduced and serving as the liaison for the prized field placement at the Denver Family Therapy Center.
Don was also regarded for his devotion to working with the Pueblo people of Taos, Santo Domingo (Kewa), and Zuni.
Finally, Don served as GSSW's "magician-in-residence" -- he often performed magic shows at GSSW. Those shows were in addition to his regular shows in Five Points at the recently closed Mercury Cafe where he performed for over 20 years.
Please feel free to read and learn more about Don in his obituary https://www.monarchsociety.com/obituary/donald-krill and via the recording of his memorial service.
Best,
Dr. McCoy
I want to share with you the news that Don Krill (MSW '58), Professor Emeritus, passed on December 24, 2025. Don was a long-time, and highly regarded, member of the GSSW Community. He retired as a Full Professor from GSSW after serving on the faculty for 30 years.
While at GSSW, Don created the treatment model, Existential Social Work Practice. He wrote the seminal text, and two additional books, focused on existential social work. His work was notable because although it had spirituality at its core it was embraced by broad audiences. At GSSW, he also created and taught a course focused on existential social work practice.
Other areas of note related to his contributions to GSSW included co-teaching in the drug dependency concentration when it was introduced and serving as the liaison for the prized field placement at the Denver Family Therapy Center.
Don was also regarded for his devotion to working with the Pueblo people of Taos, Santo Domingo (Kewa), and Zuni.
Finally, Don served as GSSW's "magician-in-residence" -- he often performed magic shows at GSSW. Those shows were in addition to his regular shows in Five Points at the recently closed Mercury Cafe where he performed for over 20 years.
Please feel free to read and learn more about Don in his obituary https://www.monarchsociety.com/obituary/donald-krill and via the recording of his memorial service.
Best,
Dr. McCoy
Henrika McCoy, MSW, MJ, PhD
Morris Endowed Dean
Professor
Graduate School of Social Work
Acting Dean
Morgridge College of Education
Morgridge College of Education
University of Denver
she, her, hers