Gerald M. Kroeger, 78, of Tripoli, died Monday, September 21, 2015, at Tripoli Nursing & Rehab in Tripoli, Iowa.
Funeral Mass will be held 10:30 a.m. Thursday, September 24, 2015, at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Sumner with Rev. James Brokman officiating. Interment will be held at 2:30 p.m. at St. Joseph’s Paint Rock Cemetery, rural Harpers Ferry. Friends may call from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., Wednesday, September 23rd at Rettig Funeral Home in Tripoli where a Rosary will be recited at 4:00 p.m. and Scripture Service will be held at 7:00 p.m. Visitation will also be for one hour preceding services at the church on Thursday. Memorials may be made in his name to St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital, P.O. Box 50 Memphis, Tennessee 38101-9929, or the American Cancer Society.
Gerald Michael, was born at home in Earlville, Iowa on January 18, 1937, the son of Hubert and Genevieve (McElmeel) Kroeger. He received his education in Independence, Iowa grade school, and St. John’s and Independence High School. From December of 1954 to October of 1957, he served with the U.S. Navy as an air traffic controller on the U.S.S. Lexington II, and was stationed at Corpus Christi, Texas. He was united in marriage with Ruth M. Hass on July 5, 1983. He worked at John Deere & Company for thirty-two years and retired in October of 1991. He is a lifetime member of American Legion Post #772 in Harpers Ferry, Iowa. He served as mayor in Harpers Ferry for two years in 1996 and 1997, and also assisted with the meal site in Harpers Ferry. He enjoyed playing cards, golfing, fishing, and most especially enjoyed spending time with his grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
In addition to his wife, Ruth of Tripoli, he is survived by six daughters, Pamela (William) St. John of Prairie City, Iowa, Deborah (Mike) Liles of Cape Coral, Florida, Rebecca (friend, Jeff) Anderson of Ankeny, Iowa, Tracy (Tim) Quigley of Ionia, Iowa, Wanda (Fritz) Tippery of Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin, and Anita Fay of Waverly, Iowa; three sons, Gerald W. (Cory) of Moline, Illinois, Paul (Sun Li) of Kalleen, Texas, and David (Pam) of Earlham, Iowa; twenty-five grandchildren; five great-grandchildren; one sister, Mary Ellen (Steve) O’Brien of Dubuque; three sisters-in-law, Mae Kroeger of South Carolina, Ardyce Haas of Ettrick, Wisconsin, and Elizabeth Quidileg of Marina, California and several nieces and nephews.
Gerald was preceded in death by his parents; brothers, John, Andy, Bernard and Robert; brother-in-law, James Hass; and sister-in-law, Patricia Owen.
