With broken hearts we are sad to announce the passing of Jean Krueger on Wednesday, September 30, 2020 at home in NE Portland, Oregon. A loving wife, mother, sister and aunt. Jean lost a hard-fought battle with bone cancer, and had recently broken her leg which required surgery to stabilize and confined her to bedrest at home. She is survived by her loving and devoted husband of 66 years, Allan; her son, Kirt and daughter-in-law Denise. She will be dearly missed by her friends and family including sister Pauline of Reno; nephew Troy and niece RaeAnn of Portland, cousin Don Deau from Arizona as well other nieces and nephews in Wisconsin.
Jean Marilyn Deau was born on May 12, 1934 in Rhinelander, Wisconsin. Her mother Florence was a homemaker, and father Raymond Deau worked at a local paper mill in Rhinelander. Jean graduated from Rhinelander Union High School. She was 18 years old when her father died suddenly and she helped to raise her younger sister while working in the office of the local paper company. On June 6, 1954, she married her sweetheart Allan in Rhinelander. They had great times together there and in the places where Allan served in the Air Force as an air traffic controller. On March 3, 1963, their only child Kirt was born in Rhinelander. Together, they ventured west and settled in Portland, Oregon in 1969. Jean joined Janzen Sportswear as a seamstress then achieved a nursing certificate from Bryman College and assisted in a doctor’s office. In 1975, Jean joined Allan in his work for Technical Industrial Sales (TIS), an industrial sales company he purchased from his employer and grew with Jean and Kirt to add the complete manufacturing process. Jean ran all of the administrative functions of the business until her retirement just 4 years ago.
Jean was a skilled knitter who created beautiful blankets and cozies. She was a collector of angel statues of every description and they adorned her home in a warm embrace. She was a devoted Catholic but also joined Allan at his Lutheran church just to be together, and for the ride.
She loved traveling to Las Vegas, Reno and Hawaii, especially with family and friends. For several years, they owned a home on the Oregon Coast in Depot Bay and loved staying there with Pauline nearby at her own place for sisterly chats that lasted throughout her life wherever the two may be. She encouraged joy-seeking in others, sending you off with “do the fun things twice” admonishment.
Jean was a role-model of optimism, good cheer, generosity and kindness. She worked her whole life but it never consumed her. It was more important to be with Allan and Kirt, to see each other every day and be a close knit family throughout her life. That family included her beloved dogs, Yorkie “Bob” and Schnauzer “Ted”, who stayed by her side at night and went to the office when they did as part of the crew. Her brood included the lasting relationships with employees that she held dear, even in her retirement. Jean also enjoyed a close circle of chums that would gather regularly who extended her family and was a cherished comfort to her by those friendships.
Heaven has a new angel in Jean who we hope will watch over us now as we try to carry on without her and she will be dearly missed by all who knew her.
The family would like to thank the many doctors and nurses that attended to Jean as well as the hospice team that helped provide the comfort and care she needed to be at home that was so appreciated.
SHARE OBITUARY
v.1.8.18