wfn.org | UCC member among those killed at Fort Hood

[Worldwide Faith News <wfn@igc.org>]

> UCC member among those killed at Fort Hood

> Written by Gregg Brekke
> November 11, 2009

The Rev. Stephen Gray, UCC Indiana-Kentucky Conference Minister,
notified UCC staff Nov. 11, 2009, that one of the victims of the Fort
Hood (Texas) killings, Staff Sergeant Amy S. Krueger, was an active
member of St. Peter's UCC in Kiel, Wis.

Krueger was preparing for her second deployment to Afghanistan when
Major Nidal Malik Hasan, an Army psychiatrist, opened fire at the
military installation. Twelve military personnel and one civilian were
killed, and at least 29 injured, before Hasan was subdued by police gunfire.

Additionally, the Rev. John F. Gundlach, UCC Minister for Government
Chaplaincies, reports that two UCC Chaplains are stationed at Fort Hood.

Chaplain Jon Bailey is currently deployed to Iraq. His wife was
on-base Nov. 5 when the shootings occurred and was delayed in reaching
their son off-base due to a security lockdown of the Fort.

Chaplain Anthony Taylor was on-base during the killing spree and has
since assisted with a candlelight vigil and is helping with the
counseling center that has been set up to work with persons
emotionally affected by the event.

The following is Krueger's obituary and a message from Gray:

> -----

Staff Sergeant Amy S. Krueger died on November 5, 2009, at Ft.
Hood, Texas, at the age of 29 doing what she loved, proudly serving
her country.  SSG Krueger gave us her all. She made the ultimate sacrifice.

Amy was a great niece of Rev. John and Ms. Pat Krueger. John is a
retired UCC clergy living in Greenfield, Ind., who served as the
pastor at Grace UCC in Culver, Ind., the new church start pastor of
Peace UCC in Fort Wayne, Ind., the Conference Minister of the
Kansas-Oklahoma Conference, and in retirement, as interim pastor of
First United Church in Bloomington, Ind., and St. John's (Southport)
UCC in Indianapolis.

Amy was an active member of St. Peter's UCC in Kiel, Wis.

Amy was a 1998 graduate of Kiel High School. After High School,
she attended the University of Wisconsin Sheboygan.  Immediately after
the events of September 11, 2001, she put her schooling on hold to
enlist in the U.S. Army in support on the war on terrorism. After
basic training at Ft. Leonard Wood, Mo., she was stationed in San
Antonio, Texas, where she graduated as a Mental Health Specialist. In
2003, she was deployed to Bagram Air Field, Afghanistan, in support of
"Operation Enduring Freedom."  She returned home in the summer of 2003
and then continued her schooling at UW-Sheboygan, receiving an
Associates Degree in Arts & Science. During that same period of time,
she also graduated from LTC's EMT program and with honors from the CNA
program at LTC. In 2008, while pursuing her Bachelors Degree in
Psychology at UW-Whitewater, Amy volunteered for another mission to
Afghanistan. On October 11, 2009, she left for that tour of duty and
was currently at Ft. Hood, Texas, preparing for deployment in mid-December.

Amy is survived by her parents, Jeri Krueger and David Diem, both
of Kiel; her adoptive father, Mark (Denise) Krueger of Springfield,
Mo.; her sister, Jessica; her brother, Casey, both of Kiel; a step
brother, Ryan Turba; step sisters, Heather Turba, Michelle May,
Adrianne and Stacy Jackson. She is further survived by her
grandparents, Jack (Sharon) Rief, Ray and Carolyn Diem, all of Kiel;
her aunts and uncles; her special niece, Alicia; several cousins; and
by many close family and friends, her extended military family, and
all those she touched throughout the years.

Funeral Services for Amy will be held at 1:00 P.M., Saturday,
November 14, 2009, at Kiel High School with Rev. David Mercer
officiating. Burial will take place in Schleswig Cemetery, Town of
Schleswig (Rockville). Family and friends may call at Kiel High School
on Friday, November 13th from 2:00 P.M. until 7:00 P.M. and on
Saturday at the High School from 10:00 A.M. until the time of service.

A Memorial has been established in SSG Amy Krueger's name at
Citizens Bank, 514 Fremont St., Kiel, WI, 53042.

Our sincere condolences go out to the Krueger family.  Please keep
them in your prayers.

> Rev. Stephen Gray

> Conference Minister

> Indiana-Kentucky Conference

> United Church of Christ