John A. Krieger (Jack), 86, of Ithaca died after a short illness Jan. 14. He served as publisher of the Cornell Alumni News in the 1990s.

Born in Chesterton, Ind., Krieger attended the Virginia Military Institute after high school and then entered the Army Air Corps in 1942, where he piloted a B-26, Martin Marauder in 40 missions.

Krieger graduated from Cornell’s School of Hotel Administration in 1949. Upon graduation, he worked as a Cornell alumni field secretary, and in 1953 worked for golf course architect Robert Trent Jones. He later became publisher of RN Magazine, co-founded Patient Care, a magazine for primary care physicians, and was a partner in HT Hampe, a commercial real estate business in Westport, Conn.

Krieger returned to Cornell in 1990 as publisher of the Cornell Alumni News and director of the 100th Anniversary of the Cornell/Penn football game in Philadelphia. He also was active in reinvigorating the Sphinx Head Society, an honor society at Cornell. In October 2009, he received the Frank H.T. Rhodes Exemplary Alumni Service Award.

Krieger is survived by his wife, Susan; three adult children and their families. A private family memorial will be held in Schuylerville, N.Y. Donations can be made in Krieger’s memory to The Sphinx Head Society, P.O. Box 876, Ithaca, NY 14850-0876. Bangs Funeral Home will be assisting the family.