Stanley I. Kruger

KRUGER, Stanley Irwin, PhD. was born July 21, 1928 in New York, NY and was raised in Brooklyn, NY. His parents were both immigrants: Max Kruger from Poland and Anna Singer Kruger from Russia. He had an older sister, Shirley G. Kruger, who worked for most of her life as a bookkeeper in New York City.

Stanley attended Franklin Lane High School, City College of New York (for both his Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees) and Boston University for a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology. He served twice in the United States Army: first at the end of WWII, travelling to Japan as a member of the US occupying force and then again when he was drafted a second time during the Korean War. He was stationed in Washington, D.C. at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center. At that time, he had begun his training and internship as a Psychologist and had worked in Boston and Worcester. While in Worcester, he met Alice Kastenbaum, a doctoral student at Clark University. They married in New York City on Dec. 25, 1953 (A Christmas wedding, as it was the only time he could get leave from his military service.) His doctoral work, having been delayed by his Army career and work responsibilities, was completed soon after the birth of his third child, Joshua. He and Alice worked as Clinical Psychologists in Massachusetts for 50 years.

For nearly 20 years, Stanley maintained a position as Staff Psycologist and later Director of Treatment at MCI Walpole. Subsequently he worked for other state mental health agencies. He was appointed Superintendent of the State Hospital at Gardner to oversee its closing. He and Alice had a vibrant private practice in Natick, where he was a longtime consultant at both Bridgewater Correctional Center and UMASS Medical Center in Worcester, where he participated in the clinical training of Psychiatric Residents.

He is survived by his three children and their families: Susan D. Kruger of Hamden, CT, her husband Jonathan Dull, and their two children Max Kruger-Dull and Anna Kruger-Dull; Steven F. Kruger of New York, NY and his partner Glenn Burger; and Joshua D. Kruger of Framingham, MA, his wife Diane Bassett and their two children David Kruger and Jessica Kruger. Services will be at Stanetsky Memorial Chapel, 1668 Beacon St. Brookline, MA on Friday June 10, 2011 at 10 AM. Interment Beit Olam Cemetery.

Memorial Observance will be at the home of Joshua Kruger on Friday following funeral services until 7 PM. Expressions of sympathy in his memory may be made to Temple Israel of Natick, 145 Hartford St., Natick, MA 01760.