Gustav O. Kruger

KRUGER GUSTAV OTTO KRUGER Dr. Gustav Otto Kruger passed away on July 5, 2010. Gustav Otto Kruger was born in New York City in 1916. They soon moved to Washington, DC. He graduated from Central High School at age 16, George Washington University at age 18, and four years later graduated from Georgetown U. Dental School with honors and on the same day graduated from George Washington University Graduate School with a masters degree in Geology. He interned at Johns Hopkins Hospital and joined the 118 Army Field Hospital Unit as a Captain. Dr. Kruger began at Mayo''s Clinic as an Oral Surgery Resident, until the Johns Hopkins Unit was called up for WWII. Dr. Kruger served in Fiji and New Zealand and later the CBI Theatre along the Burma Road. Following the war, Dr. Kruger served in the surgeon general''s office. Gus returned to Mayo''s to complete his residency. He met a student nurse, Helyn Hollingswoth and they were married in 1947 in Dubuque, IA. They moved to Washington, DC when Dr. Kruger was offered the position of the first full-time chairman of the Oral Surgery Department of Georgetown University Dental School. He later was Associate Dean of the Dental School. Dr. Kruger developed a world renowned oral surgery program and wrote and edited the Textbook of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery which was published for six editions and translated into many languages. This book was used at most dental schools and was the largest selling oral surgery textbook for years. He was known as a great recounter of his vast experiences. Dr. Kruger was President of D.C. Dental Society; member of Omicron Kappa Upsilon, the dental honorary fraternity. He was appointed Oral Surgeon to the President during the Johnson Administration. Gustav was a Diplomat and President of the American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons (AAOMS), Past President of the American Board of Oral Surgery. Past chairman; U.S. Public Health Service Clinical Career Clinical Training Committee (Dental) Council; Council on Dental Education; Past President of the Mid-Atlantic Society of Oral Surgeons. Dr. Kruger was instrumental in establishing a state of the art dental division when the old Gallenger Hospital became the new Washington D.C. Municipal Hospital, D.C. General Hospital. He was a 50-year-member of the downtown Washington Kiwanis Club and co-chair of the Orthopedic Committee. He was a long-time member of Bradley Hills Presbyterian Church. As much as he was revered by the dental and larger healthcare community, he was cherished by his family who he always made time for. Survivors include Deborah (M. Henry King III), Tristram and Abigail (Neil) Imus; grandchildren, Miles, Abigail (R. Brock Cline) and Jon (Daniela A.) King and Philip, Steven and Lindsey Imus; great grandchildren, Gus and Frederick Cline. A church service for Dr. Kruger will be held on Tuesday, July 13 at 11a.m. at the Bradley Hills Presbyterian Church at 6601 Bradley Blvd in Bethesda, MD, 301-365-2850. Any contributions can be made to: Bradley Mills Presbyterian Church Music Fund 6601 Bradley Blvd, Bethesda, MD 20817 or Downtown Kiwanis Club of Washington D.C. c/o Washington D.C Kiwanis Foundation PO Box 151561, Chevy Chase, MD 20825