Dean Leo Kruegel

Dean L. Kruegel, age 90, died on Saturday, November 4 at Samaritan Bethany in Rochester of chronic kidney disease. Born on March 9, 1927 to Hubert A. Kruegel and Stella Harum Kruegel, he attended grades 1-3 at a rural school near Carimona, MN and grades 4-12 in Preston, MN, graduating in 1945. He served in the U.S. Army from June 18, 1945 to February 3, 1947. His basic training was at Camp Fannin, Texas, and he spent 1 year with the 88th Division in Italy, attaining the rank of sergeant. He worked at Bach Music and Appliance in Rochester, MN from February, 1947-September, 1950. On November 6, 1948 he married Marcelene Adair Kidd in Rochester. He received a BS in education from the University of Minnesota in June, 1954 and taught history and social studies at Waseca High School in Waseca, MN from 1954-1959. In June, 1959, he and his family moved to Rochester, where he taught history and social studies at Central High School and Kellogg Junior High until his retirement in June, 1986. He received his Master's in history in 1968 from Mankato State University. He also worked part-time for Aldeen's Mens Wear in Rochester. While in Waseca, he was on the Grace Lutheran Church council, president of the Waseca Teachers Association, a member of the Junior Chamber of Commerce and the Sleigh and Cutter Festival for 3 years, serving 1 year as president, and named Waseca's Outstanding Young Man in 1958. While in Rochester, he served on various church boards and as congregation president at Zumbro Lutheran Church. He was a member of the Rochester Junior Chamber of Commerce, serving on the Miss Rochester Pageant committee. He was also on the Samaritan Bethany Board of Directors for 11 years and a member of the Rochester BPOE. After moving full-time to their home on Balsam Lake near Birchwood, WI in 1988, he served on the Trinity Lutheran Church council. He and Marcy spent winters at their home in Sun City, AZ, where he served as an assisting minister at Shepherd of the Desert Lutheran Church. On May 15, 2012, he participated in the Sullivan-Hartogh-Davis Post 730 Honor Flight to Washington, D.C. for World War II veterans, accompanied by grandson Aaron Buzza. In November, 2015, he moved to an independent apartment at Shorewood Senior Campus in Rochester. He was a lifetime member of NEA, MEA, and BPOE, Rice Lake, WI, and loved traveling, playing cards, fishing, football, telling stories, and going out to eat. Most of all, he enjoyed spending time with his family and friends. He's survived by 3 children, Kathy (Jim) Buzza, Sandy (Fred) Rios, and John (Jody) Kruegel, 6 grandsons, Aaron (Crystal) Buzza, Colin Buzza, Marco (Allison) Rios, Alex Rios, Jacob (Jennifer) Kruegel, and Joseph Kruegel, as well as 2 great granddaughters, Avery and Abigail Buzza, and one great grandson, Mason Rios. His memorial service will be Saturday, November 18 at 11 a.m. at Ranfranz & Vine Funeral Homes, with visitation from 10-11. Inurnment will be at Grandview Memorial Gardens, Rochester, MN. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorials to Samaritan Bethany, Inc., 24 8th St. N.W., Rochester, MN 55901. A tree will be planted in his memory on the Luther College campus in Decorah, IA.