James L. Kruger

Funeral services for James L. "Jim" Kruger, age 86, of Madison, Nebraska will be 2:00 p.m. February 13, 2026, at Home for Funerals Chapel, 708 Georgia Avenue in Norfolk, Nebraska. Reverend Todd Kollbaum will officiate, with burial in Hillcrest Memorial Park Cemetery in Norfolk.

Military honors will be provided by Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1644, American Legion Post 16, and United States Navy Honor Guard.

Visitation will be one hour prior to the service at the chapel.

Home for Funerals in Norfolk is in charge of arrangements.

James died Wednesday, February 4, 2026, at Arbor Care Centers-Countryside in Madison.

James L. Kruger, son of Alfred A. and Zelda (Lehman) Kruger, was born July 29,1939, at Verges Sanitarium in Norfolk, Nebraska. He started elementary school in Norfolk and continued at Immanuel Lutheran School in Hadar when his family moved to the family farm in 1950.

Jim graduated from Pierce High School in 1957, attended Norfolk Junior College and moved to Fremont, California in 1959 to work and continue his college education in mechanical engineering and computer science. During college, Jim and his cousin, Bob Laubsch, opened Cugginos' Pizza in San Jose, CA where he enjoyed tossing dough in the air to shape the pizzas.

Jim served in the US Naval Air Reserve from 1961 until 1969. He married Linda Davidson in 1964 and raised two daughters, Tracy and Kristine, in Livermore, California. Jim returned to Norfolk in 1982. In 1991, he married Louise Kasik and built a home in Hadar where they lived for 21 years before moving closer to family in Madison in 2015.

Jim was an engineer throughout his career. At Lawrence Livermore Laboratory, he earned top secret clearance and conducted nuclear weapons research to determine weapons possessed by the Soviet Union during the Cold War and presented technical briefings including two in Washington, DC. At Intel Corporation, he was a process engineer and manager in semiconductor wafer fabrication, equipment and facilities. He also worked locally for Dale Electronics as a resistor network engineer and designed and built a specialized clean room.

After retirement, he assisted Sid Sudbeck in construction and his stepson Rod Zessin with farming.

Jim was baptized and confirmed in the Lutheran Church, Missouri Synod, and was a lifelong parishioner, worshiping in a local Lutheran church wherever he lived or traveled. He enjoyed traveling and camping with Louise in their RV. He was involved in Orphan Grain Train and youth programs including 4-H, Livermore Boys and Girls Soccer Clubs, and Norfolk YMCA Soccer Program as a coach.

Jim was preceded in death by his wife, Louise; brothers, Alfred O. and Larry Kruger; and parents, Alfred A. and Zelda Kruger.

He is survived by his daughters, Tracy (Otto) Avvakumovits and Kristine (Greg) Kannel; stepdaughters, Connie (Eric) Esbenson and Vicki (Alan) Blank; stepson, Rod (Jenny) Zessin; ten grandchildren, Brittney, Brisk, Karly, Kamryn, Breanna, Kate, Kenny, Kimberly, Blake and Andy; and four great-grandchildren, Savannah, Leo, Stella, and Reva.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Trinity Lutheran Church, P.O. Box 367, Madison, NE 68748 or Orphan Grain Train, PO Box 1466, Norfolk, NE 68702.