Florence Krueger came into this world on July 20, 1929 and passed away on Nov. 3, 2024. She was the daughter of Bert and Ethel Stidham of Clark Wyo., sister to Lester, Margie, Violet who died as an infant, Ray, Burt, Argetta, Ruby, Opal,  Arnie, Leonard, Wesley and Roy.

She was raised in harsh circumstances and left home at 14 to earn money to have one of her teeth fixed that was hurting her terribly. At 16 she came to Harney County to stay with her Aunt Hazel Williams to help them with their ranch and to help care for her two small cousins Lee and Darrell. Mom often talked about her trip out west first by bus and then train from Ontario to Burns and how scared to death she was. She later went to work as a ranch cook for Jim Poteet on the Bell A Ranch where she met Hollis Krueger and they were married in 1951. To that union was born daughter Karen and son Jeffrey. 

As Florence raised her family, she helped with the cattle her and Hollis owned, worked in the hay field, she especially liked running a swather, but could buck bales with the best of them. She also had three milk cows she milked and sold the milk from and raised chickens to sell the eggs. Her two favorite horses, Lady and Banjo she used to help neighbors and friends when they were in need of an extra hand with their cattle.  Later when she decided there was an easier way to earn extra cash she went to work at the Post Office walking a mail route which she really enjoyed. 

She loved the great outdoors, camping and cutting wood with family. We would tease her about always looking up to find a tree to cut down for their winters wood. 

Since Harney County is know for freezing every month of the year dad built mom a hot house where she raised tomatoes for most of the town of Burns. After dad passed in 1999, she stayed on the ranch for a few years but then sold it and moved to Hines. In Hines, she put in a huge rose garden she could view from her kitchen window and spent many hours tending her favorite flower.  

Mom was never idle and valued her independence and ability to take care of herself which she did until September of 2023 when she had a serious heart attack. She then came to live near daughter Karen at Pioneer Place in Vale. There, she was a favorite among staff and they took excellent care of her. Still declaring her independence she would rarely call for help but do it herself. A massive stroke took that away but thankfully she didn’t need to depend on others for many days after. 

Florence was proceeded in death by her parents; husband, Hollis; in-laws, Gus and Bernice Krueger; brother-in-law, Gene Krueger; and brothers, Lester, Ray, Burt, Arnie, Roy, Leonard; and sister, Margie. She is survived by daughter, Karen Steele (Gerald) of Vale; son, Jeffrey Krueger (Joyce) of Canyon City; grandchildren, Rod Steele (Joanne) of Ontario, Ryan Steele (Jessica) of Vale, Lynda Haakenson of Prescott, Ariz., Jesse Krueger (Jaylene) of Drewsey; great-grand children, Tanner, Madi Jo, Riley Steele, Jetta Steele, Trenton and Trey DeLange, Peyton, Taylor and Trevin Krueger; and great-great-grandkids, Kato and Colt DeLange; sisters, Argetta Williams of Burns, Opal McGuffy and Ruby Voight of Cody, Wyo. and Wesley Stidham of White Sulphuric Springs, Mont.; and sister-in-law, Sherill Yates of Burns, as well as numerous nieces and nephews.