Patricia Krueger (1928-2005)
KRUEGER, GRANZOW, WELSH, HARRIS, BRINKMEYER, WEBBER, KIX, REKERS, HOYLE, GRANT
Posted By: Ames Tribune
Date: 12/30/2005 at 11:47:33
THE AMES TRIBUNE, Ames, Story County, Iowa, Thursday, December 29, 2005.
Patricia Lee (Granzow) Krueger was born March 30, 1928, in Hardin County. She was the second child born to Ilo and Leona (Welsh) Granzow of rural Owasa.
Patricia attended school in Owasa. She enjoyed music, sports and school plays as a high school student, and graduated from the Owasa High School in 1945. She attended Ellsworth College in Iowa Falls and graduated in the spring of 1947 with a teaching degree. That fall, Patricia began teaching fifth grade in Zearing, delighting in time spent with her 15 students.
In January 1948, Patricia met Francis Krueger of Hubbard on a night when her cousin introduced them to each other at a Rural Youth Church meeting. Patricia must have been impressed with Francis from the start because he drove her back to Zearing after that first meeting. By August 1948, Patricia and Francis were engaged.
On Aug. 7, 1949, the hottest day of the year as recorded by the weather service, Patricia married Francis at First Methodist Church in Iowa Falls. After their honeymoon in Colorado, they settled south of Hubbard on a farm, and Patricia began teaching fourth grade that fall in the Hubbard Community School District.
In the late summer of 1950, Patricia knew something was amiss with her health. After being examined in October 1950, she was diagnosed with tuberculosis. Surgery and treatment began, and she was placed in a sanatorium facility in Oakdale, just outside of Iowa City, staying there from Nov. 17, 1950, until Dec. 11, 1951. During those 13 months, Francis would come once a week to visit her, and slowly she recovered from the disease. It was a difficult time for a 22-year-old woman, but Patricia remained hopeful.
After Patricia returned from Oakdale, she began her life as a devoted homemaker, farmer's wife and loving mother. Since she had endured tuberculosis, Patricia was always thankful that she was able to become a mother to six daughters during the next several years. Time and time again throughout her life, she would proudly tell others of her six girls.
Francis and Patricia remained on the farm for 54 years and enjoyed life there, having many happy times in their large home with people gathered around the table. Patricia was known for being an excellent cook and baker, and her family and friends were always treated to her specialties, such as angel food cakes, homemade bread loaves, buns and cinnamon rolls, handmade noodles and blue-ribbon pies. Francis always believed best food was found 3 1/2 miles south of Hubbard, and Patricia shared her talents and made many delicious items as a gift from her hands.
Patricia was involved in many community organizations throughout her life. She served as a 4-H leader for seven years. She taught bread classes for AEA VI for many years, starting in the high school economics room, and eventually holding the classes in her large kitchen. It always delighted Patricia when participants would call her on the phone or stop her on the street to tell her that they had successfully made a loaf of French bread or a batch of cinnamon rolls.
With six daughters attending a small town high school, Patricia went to many extra-curricular activities, ranging from basketball and softball games to vocal and band programs, and then on to high school plays and musicals. Her daughters always found Pat's smile in the crowd, that attentive face and an arm up in the air with a gesture of approval as the basketball swished through the net.
Later in life, Patricia was busy attending the Young At Heart (Y.A.H.) Club meeting once a month in Hubbard. She was involved with this group for several years. Patricia helped to organize many of these gatherings and invited the guests to speak or sing. Y.A.H. Club members told Pat they enjoyed the jokes and poems she read during the meetings. Patricia always seemed to share a bit of wisdom or make someone smile and laugh. These simple things brought her pleasure.
Patricia joined Salem United Methodist Church in Hubbard after her marriage, and faithfully remained a lifelong member. She worked with children of the church in a capacity as youth counselor and Sunday school teacher. She was a member of the United Methodist Women and held various offices. Patricia used her organizational skills as a work group chairperson for many years, helping others members of her church serve a delicious meal, reception or fellowship hour. It was usually a good possibility for an angel food cake or homemade rolls to appear at these events, directly from Pat's kitchen. The fellowship found at Salem Church was a source of great happiness for Patricia.
Passions for Patricia were cooking and baking; she simply loved the time in her kitchen. She sewed clothes for her daughters as they grew up, and later in life, patched and repaired countless garments for her children and grandchildren. Patricia enjoyed houseplants and had a "green thumb." She especially loved her African violets, and was known to have a visitor come to take a peek at them as they bloomed in front of her dining room window. Patricia loved reading books, magazines and newspapers, and there was always a song in her heart.
In Patricia's personal journal, she wrote, "Each day of my life, I'm thrilled to be a loving mother to six beautiful daughters, my pride and joy."
In January 2004, Patricia was diagnosed with acute leukemia. She began treatment for the disease in April 2004. Patricia was valiant for nearly two years, dealing with the effects of leukemia. Then on a mild winter morning, Dec. 27, 2005, she died at Mary Greeley Medical Center in Ames. Patricia heard support from the voices of the daughter and their families as they stood by her side, and then she quietly slipped away.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Francis; her parents; one sister, Phyllis Harris; and one grandson, Brett Brinkmeyer.
Those remaining to cherish her memory include her daughters, Patrice and her husband, Larry Webber of Ankeny; Joy and her husband, John Kix of Hubbard; Miriam and her husband, Gary Webber of Hubbard; Sylvia and her husband, David Brinkmeyer of Hubbard; Rachel and her husband, Matthew Rekers of Dike; and Rhonda and her husband, Michael Hoyle of Hubbard; one brother, John Granzow of Fredericksburg, Texas; and one sister, Beverly Grant of Webster City; 14 grandchildren; Taylor and Laura Webber; Paul, Emily and Elizabeth Kix; Isaac and Levi Webber; Scott and Angela Brinkmeyer; Heather and Joshua Rekers; and Travis, Paige and Shannon Hoyle.
Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m. today at Salem United Methodist Church in Hubbard. Funeral services will be at10:30 a.m. Friday, Dec. 30, at Salem United Methodist Church in Hubbard.
Boeke Funeral Home in Hubbard is in charge of arrangements.
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