Elna Mae Krueger

Elna Mae Krueger

May 24, 1953 – Jan 26, 2018

Elna Mae Krueger, age 64, of Springfield, NE, passed away on January 26, 2018 surrounded by her family at Methodist Hospital in Omaha after a long and courageous battle against stage four cancer.

Elna was born in North Platte, NE, on May 24, 1953 to Emil and Mabel Hasenauer. She grew up as part of a large, loving family with seven brothers and sisters. They lived on a small farm near Wellfleet, NE, in the same house her father helped built as a teenager.

Elna attended a one-room country schoolhouse called Little Medicine, then Summerset, through 8th grade. She attended high school at Maywood, NE, and graduated in 1971.

Garry and Elna went on a blind date on September 11, 1969 to a high school pep rally. They were married on August 8, 1971 in North Platte, NE. They lived in North Platte until moving to Endicott in 1973, then Fairbury in 1975. After Garry accepted a new position at John Deere, they moved to Plymouth in 1982. They moved back to Fairbury in 1989, where they lived until June of 2012, when they moved to Springfield, NE.

Garry and Elna welcomed a baby boy, Dan, in December of 1972. In July of 1974 they welcomed a second son, Jeremie, and in June of 1979 they were overjoyed to welcome a baby girl, Shelly.

Elna was a proud stay-at-home mom after Dan was born. When her kids were older, she worked as a paraeducator at Fairbury middle school, then at a gift shop in downtown Fairbury. She worked as a teller at Union Bank until her recurrence of cancer on September 15, 2011.

Elna had a great love for God. Her spiritual love started with her father, Emil. Her search for God lead her to Jehovah’s Witnesses, who approached her in the door-to-door work in 1974. After studying the Bible with Catherine Luce, she was baptized on March 7, 1975. She had the privilege of serving in the Fairbury congregation until they moved in 2012. She was a zealous, faithful sister, who enjoyed studying the Bible and teaching others about Jehovah God. The last six years, she enjoyed fellowship at the Bellevue East congregation.

One of the highlights of Elna’s life was spending time with her precious granddaughters, Addie and Stella.

In addition to her father, Emil and brother, Ralph Hasenauer, she was preceded in death by her grandson, Easton Jeffries.

Elna is survived by her husband, Garry; sons, Dan Krueger (Kelly) and Jeremie Krueger (Sarah); daughter, Shelly Jeffries (Travis); granddaughters, Addie and Stella Jeffries; mother, Mabel; sisters, Randa (Toby) Tobiasson and Edith Hasenauer; brothers, Richard (Glenda), Art (Kris), Howard (Ruth), and Moe (Larretta); many nieces, nephews and friends.

VISITATION WITH THE FAMILY on Wednesday, Jan. 31st from 6pm to 8pm at the West Center Chapel.  MEMORIAL SERVICE on Thursday, Feb. 1st at 2pm at Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses, 9811 S. 36th St. in Bellevue, followed by refreshments at the mortuary.  Family burial to follow in the spring, at Evergreen Memorial Park Cemetery, 2300 S. 78th St. in Omaha.  Memorials are suggested to Project Pink’d Inc. and Watchtower Bible and Tract Society.

 

6 Comments

  • Cindy McConnell Posted January 27, 2018 9:32 pm

    Dear Gary, Danny, Jeremie, Shelly and family, I have truly lost a wonderful friend and classmate from the class of 1971. Elna, thank you for making my 4 years of high school so fun. It was so great to see you at the auction, It is a memory I shall hold in my heart forever.

    Love & Prayers to all of you

    Cindy (Farrar) McConnell

  • Michael Jennings Posted January 28, 2018 7:48 pm

    Sorry for your loss.

  • Rosalind Gaerlan Posted January 29, 2018 7:53 pm

    My sincere condolences to your family. I look forward to meeting you and my dear sister Elna in Paradise. Until then, “do not feel sad, for the joy of Jehovah is your stronghold.” -Nehemiah 8:10

  • Jeff and Kathleen Burns Posted January 30, 2018 12:18 pm

    I first met Elna when she came with her son Jeremy and his wife Sarah, to give a talk at our Kingdom Hall. She was a joy to meet and whenever we came across each other she was so gracious and kind. She was a faithful servant of Jehovah and with her passing, the Brotherhood has lost a very dear, precious Sister. She is in the safest place possible, Jehovahs memory. However, the place she held in the Brotherhood and our hearts will only be filled when we see her again in the resurrection.

  • Jacque Ryun & Ernie Ruzicka & Famlies Posted January 31, 2018 6:02 pm

    So sorry to here about Elna. She will be greatly missed. We have you in our hearts and prayers.

  • Barbara Klinetobe Posted February 1, 2018 8:03 am

    I met Elna two years ago, sitting next to her in the “chemo” room at Oncology Associates. Her smile and laughter brought a wonderful cheerful and hopeful atmosphere to everyone in the room. This little Methodist girl wasn’t quite sure about some of her thoughts and feelings on religion, but I quickly learned that it was her genuine love for everyone and being so open about life and what came next. That was Elna and it didn’t matter to her if you were Jehovah Witness or not. She helped us laugh on the days when we needed it and was always there to give out hugs when we needed them. I am a different and I think better person, having known Elna. I am going to miss her deeply.

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