Norman Adam Reinhold Kruckenberg, 87
Norm Kruckenberg, 87, passed away June 12, 2018, peacefully at home.
He was born Aug. 8, 1930, to Amalia (Weigum) and Herbert Kruckenberg in Zap, North Dakota. He grew up and worked on his family’s farm in North Dakota. In 1946 his family moved to Kalispell to work in the logging industry. Norm and his brother, Butch, bought an Army surplus 6x6 to haul ties from the Great Northern Mill in Somers to the Whitefish railhead and elsewhere in the state. At 15 and 16 years old, they were the youngest entrepreneurs in the field of work with heavy equipment. In the early 1960s he developed and patented an accounting system called Western Business and Tax that and continued in the trucking industry.
Norm began NK Trucking and led convoys of trucks for the Alaska Pipeline in Prudhoe Bay. He truly enjoyed Alaska and began OK Lumber Co. Ace Hardware in Fairbanks. He and his family were very involved in many community projects during the 28 years he lived in Alaska.
When he retired from the trucking, Ace Hardware and the lumber business, Norm and his wife Angie purchased a motor home in 1995. They finally took a vacation travelling and exploring the United States. They moved back to Kalispell and built a new home below Lone Pine State Park where he lived until his death. In his younger years Norm and Angie enjoyed boating and water skiing, fishing and dancing. In his later years, he enjoyed Western movies on TV.
He is survived by his wife, Angie; five children, son Ray (Mona) Kruckenberg of Kalispell, Rosanne Kruckenberg of Carson City, Nevada, Richard (Sandy) Kruckenberg of Fairbanks, Alaska, Regina (Bill) Kegley of Edmonds, Washington, and Ron (Katya) Kruckenberg of Anchorage, Alaska; grandchildren, Jenny Wolfe, Tatum, Shelby and Shena, Janet Lyford-Wainscott, Norman (Lon) Lyford, Dean, Kerry and Kyle Kruckenberg, Autumn (John) Luckhaupt, Amber (Frank) Borg, RJ, Wrangell and Zenya Kruckenberg; 20 great-grandchildren; and his sister-in-law; Lila Kruckenberg.
Norm was preceded in death by one daughter, Rita Kruckenberg; his brother, Rupert H. “Butch” Kruckenberg; and his parents.
A rosary was said June 15 at Buffalo Hill Funeral Home. Funeral Mass will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Monday, June 18, at St. Matthew’s Church, with a memorial service/burial later this summer.
In lieu of flowers, please donate to St. Matthew’s School or your favorite charity.
Friends are encouraged to visit the website www.buffalohillfh.com to leave notes of condolences for the family. Buffalo Hill Funeral Home and Crematory is caring for the family.