RAYMOND KRUEGER

Raymond "Ray" Curtis Krueger, of Mora, passed away July 30, 2025, while surrounded by loved ones at Mercy Hospital in Coon Rapids. He was 81 years old.

Ray was born February 24, 1944, at Midway Hospital in St. Paul, MN to Kurt and Bernadine (Sullivan) Krueger. He grew up farming. After leaving school, Ray began working at various jobs including in masonry, mechanics, and factory work. He met the love of his life, LuCinda "Cindy" Patraw and they married on May 30, 1964, in Lawndale, CA.

Together, they had four children. After a house fire forced a move from Circle Pines, MN, Ray and Cindy traveled to many states with their young family, often relocating to wherever there was work available. They eventually settled in CA, where they raised their family. Ray obtained his contractor's license from the State of CA and, in 1990, began Krueger Masonry, specializing in decorative brick and stone veneers. Eventually, the desire to return to his farming roots drew Ray and Cindy back to Minnesota where they lived on a 160-acre farm in Brook Park, MN, farming while also continuing to run Krueger Masonry. Major back surgery eventually forced Ray out of the physical side of Krueger Masonry, but he continued to handle all the managerial tasks of the company. During this time, he also began working as a machinist at Engineered Polymers Corporation in Mora. In 2003, Ray and Cindy sold the farm and moved to Isanti, MN. Ray then began working as a machinist for Product Development Solutions (PDS) in Blaine, where he remained until multiple health issues began to plague him, leading to cardiac bypass surgery in 2018 and eventually forcing him to reluctantly retire from PDS in 2019. After retirement, Ray and Cindy moved to Mora to be closer to family.

Ray liked being productive and was always looking for something that could be made better. He left every home he lived in better than when he found it. He enjoyed maintaining his own vehicles and especially loved working to restore older ones. Making and restoring furniture was another hobby, one he shared with Cindy. They built their last cabinet together just last year.

As his health declined, Ray managed to find new ways to get out into his garage and continue working on things, including using his forklift as a scaffold when he could no longer climb ladders and wearing his portable oxygen while seated in his walker to allow him to still work with wood. When he wasn't working on projects, he could be found putting together puzzles, attending to his plants, scootering around the neighborhood with Cindy by his side, or playing card and board games with his kids and grandkids. Ray is deeply missed.

Ray was preceded in death by his parents Kurt Krueger and Bernadine (Sullivan) Perron; siblings, Mae Fleming, Wayne Krueger, Margaret LaBissoniere, Gary Krueger and Helen Wolenhaupt; brothers-in-law, Rick Wesen, Herb Gutknecht.

Survived by his lifelong love of 61 years, Cindy; children, Curtis (Karrilyn), Gaylene (Rick) Ball, Russell Krueger and Kari (Mike) Boster; grandchildren, Katrina (Josh) Herzog, Kurt Krueger, Karissa (Brady) Miller, Tiffany (Lucas) Carroll, Karissa (Nate) Slater, Meghan Boster and Kathryn Boster; 9 great grandchildren with one more on the way; siblings, Patricia Hawkinson (Thomas Johnson), Mary Gutknecht (George Klaysmat), Karen Wesen, Judy Dombrock, Steve (Helen) Krueger; sisters-in-law, Florene Krueger and Georgette; many nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.

Funeral Service will be held at 11:00 am on Thursday, August 7, 2025 at the Hamilton Funeral Homes - Akkerman Chapel in Mora.

Visitation will be held 1 hour prior to the service.

A luncheon will follow the service at the St. Mary's Parrish Hall.

In Lieu of Flowers, Memorial are preferred to the Family