In Memorium
Barry Lee Krueger
1959
2023
Remembering Barry
This site was created to celebrate Barry Lee Krueger. A loving husband, father, and lifelong Green Bay Packers Fan.
Born in St. Charles, Missouri
DECEMBER 5TH, 1959
Son of Elmer 'Al' Krueger and Carol Krueger, Barry was the baby of the Krueger family. He is survived by his mother, Carol, his brother, Mark, and his sister, Laurie, as well as two nephews, Jason and Jeff.
Barry was born in St. Charles, Missouri, and moved with his family to Mt. Pleasant, Iowa, when he was four.
He lived the small-town life as a child, riding bikes through the town with his childhood best friend, Terry. Barry golfed through the summer and enjoyed ice skating in the winter time.
Barry was always a reliable and responsible person with a great personality. In middle school, he took up a paper delivery route, and in high school, he worked as a DJ at the local radio station, playing song requests and reading out the top news stories.
Barry wanted to be a musician or mathematician when he grew up, but ultimately went for what was, at the time, a new and exciting career field in computer science. Barry attended Wake Forest University in North Carolina from 1978-1982. He was the president of the Concert Choir and double majored in Psychology. Barry graduated with honors in 1982.
Married to Patricia Ann James
SEPTEMBER 20TH, 1986
Barry met Patricia James in 1983. Barry had taken a job with IBM in Gaithersburg, Maryland when Patty joined the same department. The two worked together to develop software for Air Force satellite ground communications. Soon, they both moved to Sunnyvale, California, with several other co-workers to support the software in the "Blue Cube." Barry and Patty were married in 1986 in Gaithersburg and returned together to Sunnyvale.
In 1992, Barry's career with IBM led him to Colorado Springs. Eventually, he joined a new young company, RT Logic. He was a valuable team member there and contributed to many significant satellite projects.
Barry was a great husband and father. He supported his family's hobbies and careers, cooked dinner almost every night, and enjoyed grilling and smoking meats. He often treated the family to vacations and enjoyed taking the kids on hikes. He always maintained a meticulous lawn and never forgot to put out bird food for his backyard visitors.
Barry was a cherished friend and teammate. He enjoyed bowling, golfing, and watching baseball and football games with his friends - especially the St. Louis Cardinals and the Green Bay Packers. Barry was an accomplished sportsman himself, golfing a hole-in-one and bowling three 300 games. He participated in the United States Bowling Congress Open for 25 years and supported his youngest son's golfing career.
In his retired life, Barry gave back to the community. He volunteered at Penrose St. Francis Hospital and delivered meals to the homebound through Project Angel Hearts. He played the piano at church every Sunday for over a decade and could often be heard practicing hymns for church in the evenings. He was also the church treasurer for over 20 years. Barry even combined his love of golf and his spirit of generosity through volunteer opportunities at Pine Creek Golf Course.
Passed Away
SEPTEMBER 13TH, 2023
Death came to Barry while he was enjoying a spectacular vacation with his wife in Maui, Hawaii, not far from where the couple had honeymooned together. Barry had just finished a visit with his youngest child in Guam, where he had spent two weeks exploring the tropical island, enjoying double-chocolate fudge brownies, and reading a selection of short stories in one of his favorite genres: science fiction.
On Wednesday, September 13, Barry and his wife were wrapping up the last leg of their vacation in Maui, Hawaii, and stopped at Hamoa Beach to enjoy the view of the Pacific Ocean. Barry was playing in the waves when he got caught in one particularly strong wave, which claimed his life. The autopsy report officially ruled blunt force trauma caused instant death. He was 63 years old.
Barry's grave can be found at Evergreen Cemetery in Colorado Springs, and his gravesite will enjoy the shade of majestic cottonwood trees and the shine of spectacular Pikes Peak sunsets.
Barry is survived by his wife of almost 37 years, Patricia Krueger, and their three children, Jonathan, Benjamin, and Rachel. He left them with his great sense of humor, his affinity for golf, and his spirit of adventure. Barry also leaves warm memories and beloved ties with members at Shepherd of the Springs Lutheran Church, lifelong friends, colleagues, and many others who were touched by his life.
