Curtis "Cd" Dale Kruger

Curtis D. "CD" Kruger, 89, of Waukon, IA, died Monday, October 31, 2016, at Gundersen Lutheran Hospital in La Crosse, WI. Funeral services will be held Friday, November 4th, at 11:00 AM at Old West Paint Creek Lutheran Church in rural Waukon, with Pastor Ken Kimball officiating. Burial with military rites will be in the church cemetery. Friends may greet the family to share memories and refreshments from 4:00 to 7:00 pm Thursday at the Waukon Golf and Country Club in Waukon. Martin Funeral Home of Waukon is handling arrangements.

Curtis Dale "CD" Kruger was born on October 22, 1927 in Waukon, IA. He was the son of John and Hulda (Kiesau) Kruger. Curt was baptized and confirmed at Salem United Church of Christ, attended the rural Krumme School in Ludlow Township, and graduated from Waukon High School in 1945. His parents died when he was young and he lived with various relatives through high school. Following graduation he was on his own and although he was offered a scholarship to play football at Luther College in Decorah, IA, was unable to attend because he had to work for his room and board. Curt served as a sergeant in the US Army as a member of the 6th Infantry Division from 1945 until 1947 and received the WWII Victory Medal and Army of Occupation Medal (Japan). Following his discharge he returned to Waukon where he was a lineman for a company out of Des Moines installing power lines in the area, worked at a service station, and did house painting with Wally Larson. On May 11, 1952 he married LaVonne Adeline Anderson at the West Paint Creek Synod Lutheran Church in rural Waukon. He soon became the owner of a service station and an on the farm tire service, went on to own and operate a local Studebaker, and later Dodge dealership and run a Safemark Tire Center with on the farm tire service. Before retiring he continued with Safemark, delivering their tires all across the state of Iowa and also was a rural mail carrier.

Curt served on the Waukon City Council, was a member of the council and former president of St. John's Lutheran Church in Waukon, a member of the board and former president of the Waukon Golf and Country Club, as well as a member of the Allamakee Antique Auto Club and the Elks Club in Decorah. He loved music and sang with the Switzerland of Iowa Barbershoppers and liked to go dancing, especially to "big band" music. For 22 years he operated "Kruger Tours" taking many people to Branson, MO, and was known for the hospitality and fun he provided. He loved life and always had a joke or a story to tell. He enjoyed playing cards and socializing with his many friends and appreciated the chance to spend many winters with LaVonne in Palm Desert, CA, and Mesa, AZ. Curt was an avid sports fan and loved to follow his daughters and Morgan and Mason in all their high school and college activities.

Survivors include his wife LaVonne, daughters Kathy (Patrick) McMillan and Barb (Dave) Hanson, grandchildren Morgan and Mason McMillan, and brother-in-law Gladwin (Darlene) Anderson, all of Waukon. He is preceded in death by his parents and two brothers, Niles and Donald.

Honorary casketbearers are members of the Senior Golf Members, Friends of Curt and Lavonne's Social and Travel Groups. Casketbearers are John Alan Anderson, Vicki Post, Scott Anderson, Lon Anderson, Jim Thies, Mark Thies, Karen (Caballero) Mathis, and Carol (Caballero) Lilly.