Gayla Lynn Krueger

Gayla Lynn Krueger, age 68, of Elgin, IL, passed away on November 8, 2025. She was born May 9, 1957 in Chicago, IL to her loving parents, Walter Leroy (Pat) Suwalski and Betty Irene McCoy.

Born and raised in Carpentersville, IL, Gayla's life journey took her through North Carolina, Oklahoma, Kansas, Tennessee, and Pennsylvania, where she built a life full of purpose, love, laughter, and strength.

Gayla attended the Illinois Center for Rehabilitation and Education–Wood (ICRE-Wood). She lived with an unwavering sense of resilience. She was never one to let obstacles define her. Whether working in a photo lab darkroom or serving others at the Pennsylvania Association for the Blind, Gayla gave her best with determination and care.

Gayla was first married to Walter Clark from 1978 to 2002, and together they made a home in North Carolina, Illinois, Oklahoma, and Kansas. Later, fate brought her back to Illinois and across the street from Jason Krueger, who became her devoted husband in 2002. Their love story, rooted in friendship and laughter, was one of shared understanding and deep affection.

To know Gayla was to know joy. She had a generous spirit, a mischievous sense of humor, and a smile that could light up a room. She was a lifelong jokester who made sure no conversation ended without laughter. Her sweet tooth was legendary-Milky Ways and Peeps being her particular favorites-and her love for music, singing, and playing the piano filled her home with warmth.

Gayla was a devoted Catholic who taught her children the importance of faith, reading them the Bible in Braille and living out the values she believed in. She cherished the prayer Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep and the poem Footprints in the Sand, both of which reflected her deep spiritual foundation.

Blind from birth, Gayla saw the world in ways most never could. Her hearing was so sharp, her children often joked that nothing could get past her. She didn't like to use her cane-her stubborn strength often carrying her further than expected-and she taught others to see her blindness not as a limitation, but a different kind of vision. She visited her children's schools to teach students about living as a blind person, showing them her slate, puff-painted appliances, talking watch and clock, Braille alphabet cards, and even her prosthetic eyes with a proud, open spirit.

An animal lover through and through, Gayla loved all her fur babies, especially Shilo and Pipp, and her compassion extended to all creatures. She was also a lifelong fan of the Chicago Bears and Cubs, always cheering with heart and hope.

But above all, Gayla lived for her family. She loved her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren more than words could ever capture-and she told them so constantly: "I love you more. I love you more than that. I love you the mostest." She assigned each one a special nickname-Richie Boy, Behbeh, Mouse, Alf, Baby Doll, JJ, ShyShy, PipPip-her own way of wrapping them in love.

Phone tag was her game, and she never missed a chance to call, just to say hello or remind you she cared. Her voice, her laughter, her teachings, and her faith will echo in the hearts of all who knew her. She leaves behind a legacy of strength, laughter, faith, and unconditional love, and she will be deeply missed and forever remembered.

Gayla was preceded in death by her parents, Walter Lee Suwalski and Betty Irene McCoy; family member, Jeffrey Franklin; brother, Allen; sister-in-law, Debbie; twin sons, Michael and Timothy; daughter-in-law, Tasha; niece, Rachel; uncles, Dick, Edward, Bud, and Spencer; aunts, Annette, Betty, Ellen, and Wilma; and nephew, Jason.

She is survived by her husband, Jason James Krueger; children, Betty Sue, Walter Richard, Laura Ann, Shirley Marie, Jason James, and Lisa Lynn; siblings, Steven, Sharon, Lee, and Timothy; grandchildren, Haley, Raven, Hailie, Kendra, Bella, Jeremiah, Curtis, Kinsley, and Ashton; great-grandchildren, King, Crown, and Aliyanna; aunt, Shirley; cousins, Mary Beth, Wayne, Linda, Rich, Kevin, Sherry, David, and more; nieces and nephews, Stephanie, Megan, Cheryl, and more; and her beloved fur babies, Shilo and Pipp.

Details of a memorial next spring will be forthcoming.

Interment will be private.