Walter "Bob" R. Kruger

Memorial services for Walter Robert Bob Kruger, 88, of Rochester, MN will be at 11:00 a.m. on Monday, October 5, 2015 at Ranfranz and Vine Funeral Homes.Visitation will be one hour prior to the service at the funeral home.Burial will be at Oakwood Cemetery at a later date. Walter Robert Kruger was born on August 19, 1927 in Rochester, MN, the only child of Walter and Emma (Stolp) Kruger.He passed away on September 27, 2015 at Saint Marys Hospital. Bob graduated from Rochester High School and received an accounting degree from Rochester Jr. College.While a senior in high school, he enlisted in the United States Navy and served from May of 1945 to July 1946.He was stationed on the USS Surfbird, a mine sweeper, and swept mines at Shanghai, China and off the coast of Japan at the end of the war. On June 12, 1948, he married his love-at-first-sight bride, Erdine Dee Edgar at Evanger Lutheran Church in Sargeant, MN.Bob owned Kruger's Plastic Tops, Inc. and was the first manufacturer of Formica countertops in Rochester.At age 16 he began playing tenor saxophone with a number of Midwest dance bands and continued that into the 1960's. He sang with the Rochester Male Chorus under director Harold Cooke for many years, and served on many committees and sang in the choir at Peace United Church of Christ. Bob, Dee and their family created many wonderful memories at their cabin on the Mississippi River. Bob enjoyed Big Band music, dancing, woodworking, golfing, fishing, travel, and especially being a dad and a grandpa. He was a member of the Masonic Lodge, American Legion, VFW, Eagle's Club, Shriners, Exchange Club and the Homebuilders Association. Survivors include his wife, Dee of Rochester, MN; three daughters, Bonnie (Michael) McGoon of Rochester, MN, Becky (Meredith Smokey Pater) Kruger of Reads Landing, MN and Bobbi-jean Kruger of Kitty Hawk, NC; two sons, Brian (Deedee Wegner) Kruger of Creswell, NC, and Bruce (Rebecca) Kruger of Kasson, MN; sixteen grandchildren and sixteen great grandchildren.He was preceded in death by his parents and an infant son. Memorials are suggested to the Pulmonary Hypertension Association, 801 Roeder Road, Suite 1000, Silver Spring, MD20910, www.phassociation.org or a charity of the donors choice. Ranfranz and Vine Funeral Homes 5421 Royal Place NW Rochester, MN 55901 507-289-3600 www.ranfranzandvinefh.com