Charlotte "Char" Kruger

MADISON - Charlotte Jean Kruger, age 93, of Madison, Wis., passed away on Thursday, March 14, 2024, at All Saints in Madison, Wis.

Charlotte was born on June 21, 1930, at the Ladysmith Hospital in Rusk County, Wis. Her parents were Henry Duckart and Beulah Searls Duckart. Surprisingly (to her parents, at least), Charlotte accompanied her twin brother Francis “Frank” into the world. From 1922-1941, the family resided in Bruce, Wis. Henry was an attorney in private practice and was later elected Rusk County District Attorney, a position he served in until the family moved to Wisconsin Rapids to run the Jacob Searls family cranberry business. Beulah was a home economics teacher in Wisconsin Rapids.

Charlotte (who became known as “Hod,” a name her brother Frank called her as a child) had four older siblings, Donald, Richard (“Bubber”), Wayne (“Took”) and Patricia (“Pat”). Char recalled many happy and funny stories about growing up in Bruce. Of course, life was challenging during the pre-and post-Depression era, yet she shared that they never lacked essentials, nor was there a lack of love in their household.

Attending school in Wisconsin Rapids, she, Frank, and Pat were members of the Lincoln High School marching band. Her father, Henry, was the youngest of 14 children and one of his sisters, Barb, often came to the Duckart home to assist with the management of the active family. Beulah had one sister, Fern, who married a famous photographer and portrait artist, Takuma Kajiwara, “Taki.” Taki’s brother, (later the head of Pentax camera company), named the “Takumar” lens after Taki. Taki and Fern resided in Manhattan, where she worked as a social worker. Char enjoyed the visits from Aunt Fern and Taki who had interesting lifestyles and travel experiences.

Char and her sister, Pat, were very close spending many hours with friends and with their high school sweethearts/future husbands, John Kruger and James Rude. Both couples married in 1951 and moved to San Antonio, Texas, where both men served in the military during the Korean Conflict. Char and John’s first child, David “Dave” was born in San Antonio, Texas in 1952. After returning to Wisconsin, Char and John had three more children. Cynthia “Cindy” 1957, Linda 1959 and Mark 1961. All four children benefited from college educations which were especially important to Char and John.

When Char and John returned to Wisconsin in 1953, they lived and ran a cranberry farming operation in City Point (Birch Bluff Cranberry Company). They worked hard to make a living, supplementing it with trapping, moss harvesting and raising turkeys. They were engaged in simple rural life with limited formal plumbing. When Char became pregnant with Cindy, they decided to move to Wisconsin Rapids. Had they stayed in City Point, it would have been a 45-minute drive to procure groceries, and their children would have attended a one-room schoolhouse in City Point.

John, who had a degree in Biochemistry from UW-Madison, secured employment with Consolidated Papers. He worked there for over 30 years in a variety of positions ranging from sales to manufacturing. Char and John enjoyed downhill skiing, curling, camping, golf, and family gatherings with their large extended family. In 1971, the family moved to Stevens Point to accommodate John’s job promotion. Cindy, Linda and Mark then all attended and graduated high school in Stevens Point.

Dave practiced law for several years and now oversees a real estate investment company. Cindy had a long career as a chemical engineer which eventually led her to move to Tennessee to manage an engineering group for an evaporator manufacturing company. Linda is a CPA working in the software industry providing tax compliance solutions for business entities. Mark obtained several certifications in computer software and works as an IT specialist for an international bank.

During the 1960s, Char and John got involved in curling, a sport they enjoyed for many years. Char kept busy running the household and became an accomplished furniture refinisher. She had the ability to give great attention to detail and her pieces were always of extraordinary quality. In addition to a life-long passion for reading, gardening, and doing crossword puzzles, she was a beautiful seamstress, knitter, and needlepoint artist. She never denied a last-minute request for assistance, whether it be for a prom gown, help with childcare, home-improvement-whatever was needed.

In 2015, after almost 43 years of residing in her well-maintained, warm, and welcoming home in Stevens Point, she moved to Verona to be nearer to her children, grandchildren and now, five great-grandchildren. Char was a funny, sometimes strong-willed and a very loving woman who lived each day to its fullest. One of her greatest qualities was her ability to listen, a gift we all admire and cherish and all would benefit from doing more of.

Charlotte is survived by her children, David (Sarah) Kruger, Cynthia Kortebein, Linda (Robert) Wilson and Mark (June) Kruger; grandchildren, Joshua Kruger, Courtney Kruger, Lindsay Kruger (Daniel Sarbacker), Eric Kortebein, Sarah Kortebein (Nick Yetter), Brigette (Wade) Zebro, Robert Wilson IV, Kevin Wilson, Natalie Kruger and Brianna Kruger; and great-grandchildren, Oliver Kruger, Adelaide Sarbacker, Augustus Sarbacker, Finnegan Sarbacker and William Yetter. She was preceded in death by her parents; siblings, Donald, Richard, Wayne, Frank and Patricia; and former husband, John Kruger.

A brief service will be held at GUNDERSON FITCHBURG FUNERAL AND CREMATION CARE, 2950 Chapel Valley Road, Fitchburg, at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, March 20, 2024. Visitation will be held at the funeral home from 10 a.m. until the time of the service on Wednesday.

Memorials may be directed to All Saints Foundation, Agrace Foundation or the charity of choice. Online condolences may be made at www.gundersonfh.com.

Gunderson Fitchburg
Funeral & Cremation Care
2950 Chapel Valley Road
(608) 442-5002