Rev. Obert W.F. Kruger, 92, of Hooper, formerly of Fremont died Saturday, Sept. 19, 1998, at the Hooper Care Center.

Services were Wednesday Sept. 23 at Trinity Lutheran Church, Fremont, with the Rev. David Loeschen officiating. Graveside service was at St. Paul’s Lutheran Cemetery north of Arlington.

Obert W.F. Kruger was born March 11, 1906, on a farm near Arlington to Frank C. and Amanda (Scheer) Kruger.

He received his elementary education at Brinkman Public School and St. Paul’s School near Arlington. He entered St. John’s Academy and College in Winfield, Kan. in 1920 where he completed his high school training and began studying for the ministry. He graduated in 1927.

He entered Concordia Seminary at St. Louis, Mo., and graduated in 1930. He later attended what was then the Colorado State College of Education in Greeley and received his master’s degree in 1949. He did additional graduate work at the Universities of Colorado, Minnesota and Kansas.

He taught for four years at Concordia College in St. Paul, Minn. from 1930 to 1934.

On Sept. 1, 1934, he married Ruth M. Deffner in Brookfield, Ill.

He was ordained in October of 1934. He was then called to do mission work and canvassing in Davenport, Iowa, and then served as pastor of Immanuel Lutheran Church in Davenport.

He taught at St. John’s College in Winfield where he also served as coach, dean of students, academic dean and acting president at various times from 1940 to 1980.

He retired from full-time service in 1972 but continued on as needed until 1980 when he worked on records on a part-time basis.

He was a member of Trinity Lutheran Church in Fremont. He was a former member of Trinity Lutheran Church in Winfield where he served as Sunday School superintendent, taught adult Bible class and served on several boards and committees.

He moved to Fremont 3 ½ years ago and had been a resident of the Hooper Care Center for the last 2 ½ years.

He is survived by his wife, Ruth; two sons and daughters-in-law, Ralph and June Kruger of Colorado Spring, Colo. and the Rev. Roger and Marilyn Kruger of Omaha; three daughters and sons-in-law, Anita and the Rev. Dennis Schlecht of Sacramento, Calif., Mildred and the Rev. Robert Fickenscher of Stockton, Calif., and Sylvia and Robert Storck of Denver, Colo; one sister and brother-in-law, Edna and William J. Sommers of Fremont; half-sisters, Norma Goesling of Fremont and Opal Schwidder of Seattle, Wash.; half-brother, Allan Goesling of Seattle; 21 grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his parents; one brother, Elmer, and step-father, F.W. Goesling.

Memorials are suggested to St. John’s Alumni Education Foundation at Winfield, Kan., or Trinity Lutheran Church, Fremont.

Moser Memorial Chapel in Fremont was in charge of arrangements.

~~~ Obituary courtesy of the Washington County Genealogical Society. Newspaper clippings on file in the Blair Public Library at Blair, Nebraska.~~~