Keith Arthur Krueger

Keith Arthur Krueger, age 74, born in Oak Park, Illinois, died December 8, in Lake Wales, at Vitas Hospice Respite Center. Keith had loved trapping, hunting, fishing, playing poker and writing screenplays all his life. Even more, he loved teaching history, civics and geography at Hardee County high school and middle school. Keith spent his early adult years in Naval intelligence, serving in Alaska and Japan. After honorable discharge, he completed his BS in Education at Northern Illinois University on the GI Bill and became a painting expert for several metal office furniture companies before starting his own paint reclamation company. When government policies made the recycling of paint almost impossible, Krueger went back to school, earning a history degree from St. Leo University and began his teaching career. Even after his cancer diagnosis, Keith earned a master’s degree in American History from Southern New Hampshire University! Keith was predeceased by his father Bill Krueger, his mother Mary Williams Krueger and his brother Dean. Keith is survived by his wife the Reverend Mary Beth Packard; stepdaughter Nancy Thornton; daughter Consuelo Gerstoff and granddaughter Cecily Gerstoff.Keith’s knowledge and stories from history, his sense of humor and his passion for education will be missed by hundreds of people in all parts and places of his life. His teaching methods had a profound effect on countless students in Hardee County. He requested that he be remembered by donations to First United Methodist Church of Bartow and to The Tunnel to Towers fund.