Earl "Dean" Kruger

SIOUX CITY -- Earl "Dean" Kruger, 83, of Sioux City passed away Friday, April 23, 2010, at a local hospital surrounded by his family.

Services will be 11 a.m. Tuesday at Meyer Brothers Morningside Chapel, 6200 Morningside Ave., with Pastor Matthew Nix officiating. Burial will be in Memorial Park Cemetery. Visitation will be 4 to 8 p.m. today, with the family present 6 to 8 p.m., at the funeral home.

Dean was born July 15, 1926, in Lake Park, Iowa, the son of Albert G. and Bess Kruger. He attended the South Dakota School for the Deaf in Sioux Falls, and the Iowa School for the Deaf in Council Bluffs.

On Nov. 24, 1950, Dean married Agnes Faber in Doon, Iowa. Dean worked as a carpenter for National Woodworks and Klinger Construction until retirement. He enjoyed fishing, was an avid bowler and a huge baseball fan. Dean held offices in both the Iowa Association of the Deaf and the Siouxland Association of the Deaf. He was a member of the Carpenters Union and a member of the Calvary Lutheran Church for the Deaf.

Survivors include his wife, Agnes of Sioux City; two daughters, Linda and husband, John Larsen of Cedar Falls, Iowa, and Sally and husband, Charles Gambell of Sergeant Bluff; four grandchildren, Eric and wife, Jen Larsen of Lino Lakes, Minn., Ryan and wife, Rachel Larsen of Maple Grove, Minn., Nikki and husband, Jeff Opsal of Clive, Iowa, and Katie and husband, Blake DeRouchey of Ankeny, Iowa; and three great-grandchildren, Sophia Grace Larsen, Samuel Dean Larsen and Reed Doland Opsal.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Albert G. and Bess Kruger.

The family would like to express gratitude to Dr. Bacon and the staff at Mercy Medical Center for their compassionate care.