Funeral services for Mildred I. Krueger, age 95, of Albert Lea, will be held

11 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 15, at Bayview/Freeborn Funeral Home. The Rev. Dan Baker will officiate. Interment will be in the Graceland Cemetery. Visitation is one hour prior to the service at Bayview.

Mildred died Sunday, Oct. 9, 2005, at St. John’s Lutheran Home.

Mildred I. Krueger was born Jan. 8, 1910, to Enoch and Helen Eide in Forest City, Iowa, and was baptized and confirmed at the Winnebago Lutheran Church east of Leland, Iowa. She graduated from Lake Mills High School in 1928 and moved to Albert Lea that same year. Mildred married Welferd W. Krueger on January 8, 1931, at New Richland.

Mildred was an active member of the First Lutheran Church, the ALCW, and Mission Circle No. 5, serving as president of both organizations. In later years, she spent many enjoyable hours sewing quilts with a group of women from her church. She was a Past Matron of Halcyon Chapter No. 21 in O.E.S. and was president of the Sarah Higgins Past Matrons Club. Her life-long interest in gardening led her to join the American Hosta Society of which she was a charter member. Her specialty eventually became the day lily, and, as a result, she and her husband became involved in the American Hemerocallis Society. Mildred served on the national level as historian, awards and honors judge, and membership chairperson on the Board of Directors. She was also vice-president of Region 1 of the Hemerocallis Society. Locally, Mildred was involved with the Albert Lea Garden Club, also serving as president of that group. She had worked in the 1960s at Johnson’s Heating and Air Conditioning and later for Bo-Dean’s Beauty Supply.

Survivors include her son, Alan and his wife Pauline &8221;P.D.&8220; of Albert Lea; daughter-in-law, Connie of Winter, Wis; seven grandchildren: Craig and wife Shelly of Maplewood, Douglas of Minneapolis, Debra and husband Scott Knight of Bloomington, Diane of Minneapolis, Kent and wife Lisa of Andover, Anne and husband David Eng of Louisville, Colo., and Beth and husband Matthew Carpenter of Appleton, Wis.; and nine great-grandchildren: Ben, Eric and Joel Krueger, Adam, Matthew, Daniel and Amanda Eng, Julia Knight, and Lauren Krueger.

Mildred was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Welferd; son, Paul; five brothers: Jim, Kenneth and Gordon of Riceville, Iowa, and Robert and Herbert of Leland, Iowa; and sisters: Mrs. Martin (Lillian) Bennett of Forest City, Iowa, and Mrs. W. T. (Bonnie) Tillson of Scottsdale, Ariz.

Mildred and her husband, Welferd, celebrated 60 years of married life before his death in 1991. She lived in her home on Fourth Avenue for 66 years, nurturing her yard and flowers with great enthusiasm and care, always willing to share plants and gardening tips with friends and family.

Her yard was featured in several garden tours in the area, and she was honored to have a day lily created and named after her. Mildred was a great source of strength and inspiration to her family, and will be sadly missed by them and by her many friends.