Tuesday, August 31, 2010

Brandy's Laugh with Grandpa

Here is one of my favorite photos from Lu's birthday party.  I think this was taken when I was telling him of my plan to visit the Panama Canal and he helpfully suggested it would be more interesting to put a matchbook in the toilet and flush it and watch it go down the drain.
 
We had a good laugh about that one.
 
 
That's one thing you could say about Al, right up to the very end he never lost his great sense of humor!  It looks like Uncle Bud is on the left!

Monday, August 30, 2010

Thanks Bill for sending this photo along shot in Canada in 2001 - all the Kreutzberger guys!

Wednesday, August 25, 2010

Janine's Tall Tale

Janine Boudreau, Bill Kreutzberger's wife recounts a tale of fishing with Al.... along with a storyline that involves Al's nephew Skip Schwerdtfeger.

Janine Boudrou Nov 09

When I married into the Kreutzberger family, little did I know that it was a klan of tall-tale weavers whose themes inevitably centered on tales of fishing in the land of “UP NORTH.” 
 
There was the tale of the legendary Skip, who, as a young man with a growing family, spent his last $5 (much to the chagrin of his wife) to purchase a Rapella lure to fish at Al and Gail’s cottage on Post Lake.  Upon arrival, Skip  promptly went out fishing with Bill and lost the lure. The following morning, he and Bill went out fishing again, and damned if Bill didn’t get a snag – and when he pulled it up, he had Skip’s Rapella on the line!   Al, ever generous, gave skip $50 for the trip home since gas stations and restaurants didn’t accept Rappela’s – least that was the way Al told the story...
 
When Al Kreutzberger was a boy, his father brought the family “Up North” to Moore’s Springs, Minnesota every summer.  Al regaled us with tales of the big bass and northern pike that could be caught in the old days.  He also went raspberry picking with his mother, using a little bucket that I still have – and use!
 
Al brought his new bride, Gaile, ”UP NORTH”  for their honeymoon and returned years later with his sons.  So, it was only tradition, when my husband took me “UP NORTH” to the Boundary Waters for our honeymoon.
 
In the early years of our marriage, Bill and I spent many weekends with Al and Gaile at their cottage on Post Lake, Wisconsin. We fished for perch and crappie from the dock in the evenings and as we fished,  the talk would turn to the “big ones” Al and Bill had caught.  Oh those tales of muskies and northern pike in Minnesota and Canada!  How bit and monstrous they were!  How many they caught!
Frustrated with the little fish I was catching, I challenged them.  “Why don’t you take me to catch a ‘big one?”
 
So the next morning, bright and early, Bill, Al and I took off in the boat for Upper Post Lake, where Al reassured me, there were some big fish.  We waved off the mosquitoes and drank Tab after Tab in the hot son.  I got several nibbles, but when I reeled the line in – no fish! 
 
“Well, you gotta set the hook!” Al admonished me.  He gave his pole, held in those big hands of his, a nice little jerk.  Taking in his demonstration and determined more than ever to land a “big one,”  I waited for the next nibble on my line.  When it came, I jerked – and jerked hard!  Whizz!  Out of the water, arching high over our heads, and landing 10 yards behind us flew the biggest northern pike I had ever seen.  Unfortunately, I had jerked the hook clear out of its mouth.  Al laughed so hard that he cried.  “Now that was setting the hook!”  Later he told Gaile that we had seen some “flying fish” on Upper Post!

Gaile & Al 1984

Sunday, August 8, 2010

Al lived in an independent apartment in a senior space called River's Edge about 15 minutes from where we live.  He had lived there about four years before he moved over to The Chateau, where he could have the additional services he needed,  June Swift who wrote this poem was one of his friends at River's Edge.

Saturday, August 7, 2010

Remembering Al

This blog celebrates the memory of Albert Kreutzberger, who passed away on July 24th in Sacramento CA at the age of 91.  He touched many people in his life and I encourage you to post your memories and send me photos to post.


Albert William Kreutzberger, 91, died peacefully in his sleep at his home with his family.  He was preceded in death by his wife Gaile Herre Kreutzberger.  He is survived by his sons, John Albert (Ann Tracy), William (Janine Boudreau); his daughter Barbara Christensen (Daniel); his grandchildren Brandy Christensen, Sean Christensen (Renee), Marlies Kreutzberger, Alex Kreutzberger, Mark Kreutzberger; his sister-in-law Lucile Schwerdtfeger; four great-grandchildren and many loving nieces and nephews.  He also leaves his best friend Patricia Durkee who also lived at River's Edge as well as many other friends there and up in Placerville where he lived at the Lake Oaks Senior Mobile Home Park.

"Al" was born in Chicago and moved to Cedarburg, Wisconsin soon after his marriage to Gaile. He started his own business as a die-cast die and plastic injection mold designer - Hawthorne Mold Design - during the 1960s.  His son John learned the business from his father working for him for five years.  After Al retired, he moved to California and worked part-time for John as the mold design business moved into the computer age.

He was a life-long fan of classical music and opera as well as being a sports "nut" who would sometimes watch two different sporting events at the same time!  Al supported my different environmental causes as well.  He was also an enthusiastic fisherman who loved to take his sons to the wilds of Canada to fish for northern pike and walleye.
But most of all, Al loved his family and each occasion when they would gather - especially Thanksgiving when he would wield a drumstick like a king with a scepter.

A memorial service is planed for September 4th at 2 pm at River's Edge to celebrate his life.  The family asks that donations be made to Sutter VNA-Hospice, 2800 I St., Sacramento  CA  95816.