Hilda L. Kruger

Hilda L. Kruger, 97, passed away December 16, 2024. Services will be held at Hamilton’s near Highland Memory Gardens, 121 NW 60th Ave. in Des Moines with visitation on Friday, December 20, 2024 from 6 to 8 p.m. and the funeral service on Saturday, December 21 at 10:00 a.m. Burial will be at Sheffield Cemetery in Sheffield, Iowa.

Hilda was born at home on July 22, 1927 in Alexander, Iowa to Katie (Kaduce) and Alfred Andersen. Her Dad owned a meat market, ice cream shop, and had a tiling crew that tiled most of Franklin County. He later rented a farm near Coulter, Iowa where Hilda attended country schools. She and her siblings delighted in the nearby skating rink where they all learned to roller skate. Later, when the war started, Hilda’s brothers went to serve. This left Hilda and her mother to milk 17 cows, morning and night, separate the milk and cream and churn the butter while her father did the planting and cared for over 100 hogs. The family later bought a farm in Sheffield, Iowa where Hilda graduated from high school. With her artistic talent, Hilda was offered an art scholarship but was unable to attend.

She had many interesting business ventures over the years, owning a mobile home park in Charles City, Iowa, cleaning and wallpapering homes, and working for JCPenney for over 30 years. Hilda could sell ice to an Eskimo and received several sales awards from JCPenney.

Her talents and interests were varied. She loved to roller skate, ride her bicycle, was a 300-point tournament bowler, enjoyed deep sea fishing, horseback riding, and spending time at the casinos. She was a very good cook and was especially proud of her baked beans, ice cream and Christmas candy. Hilda loved to travel and visited all but 2 of the 50 states, 5 countries, and countless trips in her RV to visit family and friends.

This dear lady will be greatly missed by her daughter, Linda Kruger; grandchildren, Chad Hobbiebrunken and Michelle Watkins; great-grandchildren, Dan (Victoria) and Brad Hobbiebrunken, C.J. Watkins, and Nicole Ascheman; great-great-grandchildren, Amelia, Annalise, Danielle and Aubrielle Hobbiebrunken; her sister, Phyllis (Donnie) Kunzman; and numerous nieces, nephews, and cousins.

Hilda was preceded in death by her parents; her step-mother, Elanora Andersen; her husbands, Jake Kruger and LeRoy Eichman; her siblings, Donald (Lorraine) Andersen, Arnold Andersen, Christina (Irving) Radabaugh, Hans (Mary) Andersen, Theodore (Ruth) Andersen, and Anna Marie Andersen; and several nieces and nephews.

Memorials may be directed to the family and condolences expressed at www.HamiltonsFuneralHome.com.

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