Earl H. Krueger

I was raised by my parents in Dolton, Illinois. My father, Earl H. Krueger, was an accountant for the IHB Railroad and made his living counting and keeping records. One day, as an adult, I drove him to the bank. He withdrew money, but could not count it out to see it was all there. I knew he was in trouble when a German can not count out money. Something was wrong.

The diagnosis came back of Alzheimer’s. He choose to live with my sister. She did her duty as a daughter. Within 5 years of the onset she went from a loving daughter to not liking him. What a shame. I still love him and her and both have passed. He from heart issues and she from cancer. I am the sole member of my family group of Kruegers from Dolton, Illinois.  So many years ago. We all pass.

I think my spouse may have had Alzheimer’s, but no diagnosis was determined. It is a devastating condition that robs people of many productive years. Families do not know what is happening because you can not see it. It’s like when a kid is vision or hearing impaired. It is there, but you do not see it. You only see the results afterwards. As a unit psychologist for the state of Illinois, I worked with developmentally delayed geriatrics. Our people would go and have so little to start with.  Then Alzheimer’s would occur and there was even less ability. It is a disabling condition that makes the whole family group disabled. We think it just affects the one, but it does not. It affects the whole family.”

— Kathleen Johnson