Jim Kruger

Jim Kruger age 76 of George, IA died Friday June 18, 2010 at the Good Samaritan Nursing Home in George, IA. Memorial services will be held 11:00 a.m. Monday, June 21st at Lyon County First Presbyterian Church rural George, IA with Rev. Paul Fischer officiating. Private family burial will be prior to the service at 10:00 a.m. at the Church Cemetery. Visitation will be Sunday, June 20th from 2:00 " 8:00 p.m. with the family present from 6:00 " 8:00 p.m. at the Jurrens Funeral Home of George. Ronald James Kruger was born August 9, 1933 near Little Rock, IA to Fred H. and Susie (Van Briesen) Kruger. He was raised on a farm northwest of Ashton and attended country school. He later attended Ashton Catholic School. As a young man and after finishing his schooling he helped his father on the family farm and periodically worked construction which would cause him to be gone for several days at a time. On April 22, 1953 he was united in marriage to Byrla Jean Eilders. To this union 6 children were born. Jim was a farmer through and through. He and his young bride began their lives together farming northwest of Little Rock and later moved to a place by Sudengas and finally bought the Eilders home place where he and Byrla continued raising their family. Jim had a love for the land that spanned his entire life. In his later years when he could no longer farm himself, he loved to take rides in the country and look at the crops and admire the land. He graduated from the School of Auctioneering in Mason City, IA in March of 1964 and began a long career of calling sales and working with many many people over the years. Jim was the co-owner of the Sheldon Livestock Co. for 4 years. The auctioneering business suited Jim well because he loved visiting with people. He was quick witted, fast with a joke, full of one liners and always ready to help anybody. On September 14, 1991 he lost his wife Byrla to cancer. Jim continued living on the farm until moving into George in 1996. He enjoyed playing cards and an occasional trip to Flandreau. But mostly, Jim loved his family and enjoyed spending time with them. He had a nickname for every one of his children and nearly every one of his grandkids and great-grandkids and given more time surely would have been able to come up with a pet name for each. His grandchildren called him O' Bud. Theyll greatly miss his teasing and will fondly remember the good times with O'Bud. This past Friday, June 18, 2010, Jim died at the Good Samaritan Home in George, IA at the age of 76. Jim is survived by his daughter-in-law, Lynette Kruger of George, IA; daughter, Lynn Denekas of Little Rock, IA; daughter, Sue (Harold) Krogman of Sibley, IA; daughter, Dawn (Arlyn) Snuttjer of Doon, IA; Tim (Ruth) Kruger of George, IA; and Kay (Ron) Lonneman of Ft. Collins, CO; ; 15 grandchildren and 16 great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents; his wife Byrla; son, Ty Kruger; brothers, Bob and Gene.