Arthur August Krueger

Arthur August Krueger: August 29th, 1935 – May 31, 2025

Art entered the world in August 1935, born to Merle and Minnie Krueger in Forsyth, Montana, as the eldest of five children. On June 2nd, 1957, he married Mary Alice Schenk. Art and Mary had two children together, Donna and Keith. In 1972, the couple divorced. Several years later, he met Virginia Temple and they married July 16th, 1980. In this union, Art gained two more daughters, Nanette and Michelle Day. Over the years, he gained grandchildren as well: Megan, Molly, and Reed. After a decline with dementia, Art passed away May 31st, 2025, at the age of 89.

Art was so much more than a collection of facts and milestones. He was a loving, smart, handy, quietly creative, immeasurably kind person. He donned many hats over the years – husband, father, grandfather, brother, in-law, friend – and his legacy lives on in each of us who had the privilege of being loved by him.

Much of his career was spent as an electrician, first in Montana and then in Oregon. He brought an artist’s eye to everything he did; many signs in Great Falls were crafted by him and to this day, a beloved neon blown glass candle he made shines on in his daughter Donna’s window each Christmas. Art wasn’t just handy, he was helpful. Throughout the years, it was abundantly clear to anyone who saw him that this was how he showed love. He tackled every task with a “let’s figure it out” mentality, showed up with determination and a toolbox, took pride in his work and a job well done.

Although he eventually settled in Eastern Oregon, he never forgot his Montana roots. A love of fishing and hunting became a connecting thread, from the early days hunting geese with Grandpa McCain to frequenting favorite haunts over the years, including Alice Creek, Yellowstone, Thief Valley, and Phillips Reservoir. Art also loved his garden: rows of corn, potato-filled dirt, stems heavy with tomatoes, the prickly vines of cucumbers.

With each of his children, he held a shared love. To Donna, he passed on the love of gardening, as she carries out the Krueger family legacy of homestead abundance. To Keith, he passed on his appreciation of a good cigar; even in the last few years, cigar time remained a sacred tradition. To Michelle, he passed on the joy of aviation, with its thrill of flight and a wonder at its possibility. To Nanette, he passed on the peace and comfort of quiet strength.

We all learned a little bit how to love through the example Art Krueger set and the calm, intelligent empathy with which he approached the world. The kindness he brought into each of our lives, his signature sparkling twinkle of humor, and his ability to capture and share small, often overlooked moments of joy will be sorely missed. He was deeply loved by so, so many.

Art leaves behind his wife of 45 years, Virginia Mae Temple; his children, Donna Irene Krueger (Eric Rupp), Keith Allan Krueger, Michelle Day (Travis Winton), and Nanette Day (Fred Minthorn); his grandchildren, Megan Elise Prowett, Molly Rose Krueger Rupp, and Reed August Krueger; and his siblings, Rosalie Sue Moos Steinbach (Craig Steinbach – deceased), Pearl Eileen Hein (Ed Hein – deceased), and Claude Allan Krueger (Nina Krueger). He was predeceased by his parents Merle Rogers Krueger and Minnie Louise Krueger (née McCain), by Mary Holbrook (née Schenk), and by his brother, Hugh Merle Krueger.