Harold P Kruger

Celebration of Life Service for Harold P. Kruger will be held on Saturday, September 8, 2018 at 1:30 p.m. at the Christian Homes Care Community Chapel at Holdrege, Nebraska with Pastor Craig Cedar officiating. Private family inurnment will be held at a later date.

Harold Peter Kruger, 88 years of age of Holdrege, formerly of Hesston, Kansas, passed away on Monday, July 23, 2018 at the Christian Homes Care Community in Holdrege. Harold was born December 6, 1929, in St. Paul's Hospital, in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada to his parents, John G. and Tena (Niessen) Kruger.

As a boy, Harold grew up on his family's farm south of Aberdeen, Saskatchewan, where each day he rode to Old Trail country grade school on horseback or by buggy. He completed high school at Saskatoon Technical Collegiate Institute and then graduated from Prairie Bible College in Alberta. He also attended Saskatoon Teachers Normal School to prepare to be a teacher.

After marrying Susan Frances Funk in June of 1953, Harold and his new wife moved to Hillsboro, Kansas, where he continued to study foreign languages in hopes of serving in the Belgian Congo with the Mennonite Brethren Board of Foreign Missions. The two then traveled to Bruxelles, Belgium, to study at École Colonial in order to meet educational requirements for Harold working as an educator, and Susan as a nurse in the Congo.

From Europe, they journeyed to the Belgian Congo, where they settled in Kafumba, one of several Mennonite Brethren mission stations, and began their work. As Director of the Kafumba and area primary schools, Harold and an excellent Congolese teacher traveled the area, inspecting schools, troubleshooting, and assisting the Congolese teachers in these schools. Harold's assistant would replace Harold as the state-recognized school inspector, as the Congolese Church prepared to take over these schools.

The revolution for independence in 1960 and the following civil war disrupted this work, and after their home was destroyed, Harold, Susan and their three daughters left the Congo for the U.S. In 1964, they returned to Kansas, where Harold completed an M.S. at Emporia State University and taught at Wichita Collegiate School. He served at Collegiate for the next 31 years: chairing the Foreign Language Department and teaching primarily French, accompanying students on trips to Europe, directing the summer school, assisting in chapel services (in the school's early years), helping in the care of the campus, mentoring students, and forming lifelong friendships with students, faculty, and staff. All his life, Harold took joy in seeing his students progress and succeed.

Harold took this enthusiasm for life into his retirement, as the couple traveled in their RV to visit with children and family in the U.S. and Canada and serving on various church boards. When Harold and Susan moved to Schowalter Villa Retirement Community in Hesston, Kansas, he got involved with the Lions Club, for several years drove the elderly to medical appointments, and sang in a men's chorus. He greatly enjoyed this small-town community and its activities.

In June 2017, due to declining health, Harold and Susan moved to Holdrege, to be close to family. During their year in Nebraska, they had several visitors from Canada and US which they enjoyed very much.

Harold is survived by his wife of 65 years, Susan Kruger of Holdrege; his daughters: Rebecca (Jim) Gaudino of Portland, Oregon; Trish (John) Ferree of Scottsdale, Arizona; and Grace (Mark) Adam of Wilcox, Nebraska; his four grandchildren: Suzanna (Matthew) Stagemeyer; Levi (Brooke) Adam; Zachary (Staci) Adam; and Olivia (Rob) Nichols; his great-grandchildren: Elijah,  Michael and Violet Stagemeyer; Truly, Tell and Lively Adam; Braxton and Kyson Adam.

He is preceded in death by his parents: John and Tena Kruger; and parents-in-law: Jacob and Anna Funk; his sisters: Alvena Epp and her husband, Jake and Frieda Klassen and her husband, Joe; his brothers: Archie Kruger and Wes Kruger and his wife, Anne; his brother-in-law, Jack Funk; and a younger sister, Doris Keith.

The family requests that any donations in Harold's memory and honor can be sent to the MB Mission (please specify "for DR Congo") at www.mbmission.org (see "donate"); address: MB Mission/Midwest US, PO Box 264, Hillsboro KS 67063.

Expressions of caring and kindness can be sent to the family at www.nelsonbauerfh.com