Obituary of Judson F. Kruidenier

Judson Forsyth Kruidenier passed from this life on August 17, 2009 at Lake Regional Hospital in Osage Beach, Missouri, due to complications following a surgery. He was preceded in death by his parents, John F. and Frances L. Kruidenier; and a brother-in-law, Edward Chrisco. He is survived by his wife, Betty J. Kruidenier; two daughters, Kim L. (Don) Samms and Kathy J. (Bill) Wilson; son, Kurt F. (Pam) Kruidenier; eight grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; and sister-in-law, Marian Chrisco. Jud was born in Grand Rapids, Michigan on June 20, 1926 and moved to Monmouth, Illinois in 1933. He attended Willets Elementary, Central Jr. High and Monmouth High School. While attending MHS, Jud lettered in both track and football and was track captain in his junior year. After a two year tour of duty in the Army during WWII, he returned to attend Monmouth College. At MC, he lettered in track all four years and also ran cross country. He received his Bachelor of Arts degree in 1950. On Aug. 28, 1949, he married his longtime best girl, Betty Jean Liggett. After several odd jobs, Jud began his teaching career in 1951 starting at Monmouth High School then moving to Central Jr. High where he spent the balance of his 30 years with District 38. After retiring from the public school system, he moved on to Monmouth College where he put in another 10 years. Both Jud and Betty worked on building the women�s cross country and track programs. Jud was always proud of his athletes and many that excelled under his coaching, both individuals and teams. In one interview upon his retirement, Jud stated that, �My life was a job that I enjoyed doing. It wasn�t a job I had to go to. It was a job you looked forward to going to.� I believe that says it all, even to the way he lived his life. As a family man, Jud took many an enjoyable vacation with his family, between keeping the school grounds mowed or doing private painting jobs throughout the Monmouth area. Several were taken out of the U.S., Mexico and Canada, for the purpose of writing papers for classes he continued to take at Monmouth College. The family was able to see much of the lower 48 due to his and Betty�s love of travel. As their kids grew up and moved away in the early 1980�s, Jud and Betty would often travel miles to see them and their growing families: Kim in Fort Collins, Colorado and Kathy in Rockford, Illinois; Kurt remained in Monmouth. After Jud and Betty retired from their jobs at Monmouth College, coaching and driving the teams and summers on the painting crews, they enjoyed a series of janitorial jobs with area banks. As with all of their jobs, they enjoyed the people as well as the work. Once introduced to the Senior Olympics, you couldn�t stop this pair! Illinois, Western Illinois, Iowa, Nebraska, Kentucky, Michigan and Nationals in 2005 in Pittsburg. In all seven years of participation together with a wall full of ribbons and medals to show for it.