Delores Kruger

Delores Minnie Martha Sandhoefner Kruger was born on Aug. 14, 1920, in New Ulm, Minn., to Joseph and Frieda (Beyer) Sandhoefner. Delores moved to Sleepy Eye with her family when she was in the sixth grade. She attended St. John's Lutheran School and graduated from Sleepy Eye High School in 1939. In high school, she was involved in Drama and Tabitha clubs, Campfire Girls and played the alto sax in band. She worked at the family's business, the Beyer Hotel, in New Ulm and was co-owner and operator of the Del Roy Hotel in Sleepy Eye with her sister and brother. She married Earl Kruger on June 4, 1953, at St. John's Ev. Lutheran Church in Sleepy Eye. The couple made their home there, and Delores was a homemaker, cook at the Del Roy and later worked at Divine Providence Community Home for several years before retiring in 1982. She was a 4-H club leader, member of the VFW Auxiliary and Trinity Lutheran Church in Sleepy Eye. She is survived by her daughters Darlene (Adam) Kotelnicki of Litchfield and Cheryl (David) Peterson of St. Peter; seven grandchildren and two great-grandchildren; sister, Viola (Roy) Suker of Gil Mor Manor in Morgan and brother, Delbert (Eunice) Sandhoefner of Sleepy Eye; and goddaughter Renae (Sandhoefner) Simenson of Eden Prairie. She was preceded in death by her parents and husband, Earl in 1999.