Obituary of Maria H. Kroeger

DYERSVILLE, IOWA

The bell tolled, Maria H. Kroeger died and our lives are diminished.  Maria (Mary) died on September 28, 2024, under the care of her daughters and St. Croix Hospice at the River Living Center in Guttenberg, IA.

Funeral services will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Monday, November 4, 2024, at St. Francis Xavier Basilica in Dyersville with burial in the church cemetery.

Maria was born August 19, 1935, in Gross Berssen, Germany, daughter of Josef and Agnes (Klene) Dueing.

Mary booked passage on the SS America in 1957 by invitation of Theodor Kroeger, a U.S. Army soldier who happened to be on leave visiting his hometown in Germany, just a couple kilometers away from Mary’s neighborhood. That adventure led to their marriage at St. Francis Xavier Basilica in 1958, and her U.S. citizenship in 1962. She liked the country, but she loved the man.

Mary and Ted wended their way to Dyersville, drawn to the area by close, special relatives: Kroeger and Geers. They eventually owned their own business where Mary quipped that she was management, he was labor; they were proud of that shop: Ted Kroeger TV Sales and Service.  Mary guided various Brownie and Girl Scout troops through Day Camp, taking special care with their construction of the sturdiest sit-upon that organization ever knew. She also enjoyed her noisy Camp Grandma days, involving any and all, and never lost the joy and comfort she found while cradling a baby in her arms and singing that special German lullaby.

Survivors include her four daughters: Sharene (Doug) Drexler and their children, Samantha (Sawyer) Skowronski, Benjamin (Brynn) and Shannon, Margie (Dan) Walter, and their children, Joseph, Katy (Connor) Lawrence, Elizabeth (Trent) Scott and Emily (Cliff) Wallace, Linda (Mike) Kroeger-Herman and their sons, Jacob (Jessica) and Philip, Joanne (Jack) Owen and their daughters, Michael (Andrew) Wilner and Morgan (Tyler) VandeSande. She has12 great grandchildren. She is also survived by her siblings: Josef (Ursula) Dueing, Heinrich (Margret) Dueing, a treasured sister, Agnes Grawe, and a sister-in-law, Helene Dueing, all of Germany.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, Ted in 2010, siblings: Franz, Bernhard (Anna), Gerhard (Antonia) and Rosa Dueing, in-laws: Helmut Grawe, Heinrich (Margaretha), Wilhelm, Herman, Johann, Gerhard (Vera), Josef and Anna Kroeger, Margarete (Johann) Wosthaus and Thekla (Heinrich) Neeland.

We’d like to express our most heartfelt thanks to Mary Eulberg and her excellent staff at River Living Center; Mom found much joy during her time there, with credit for her high spirits to those lovable tablemates. St. Croix Hospice’s professional staff provided noteworthy care; to Carrie, Becca and Jackie, Thank you. She had a good German Life.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in Mary’s memory to River Living Center in Guttenberg’s, Iowa, or St. Croix Hospice, Strawberry Point.

Kramer Funeral Home in Dyersville is assisting the family.  Information is available at www.kramerfuneral.com.