Margaret M. Krug

Margaret Mercedes (Jackie) deThierry Krug, widow of William A. Krug, and our mother left the physical world to join God and her loving husband in the spiritual world. Our mother was born May 15, 1918, grew up in rural Maryland and graduated from St. Joseph's College with a degree in mathematics. In a world where her desired career as an engineer was not typically available to women, she became a school teacher. Our mother married our father in 1945 when he returned from W.W. II. She moved to California to start setting up the family home, and our father joined her upon his discharge from the Army Air Force. For the next 30 years she devoted her efforts to raising our family of eight, putting all six children through 12 years of private Catholic school, on our father's income. Eventually Jackie's love for children's education and efforts resulted in college degrees, four master's degrees and two doctorates among her six children. While raising her family, Jackie also volunteered with charitable organizations and substitute taught at our schools when she was needed. Jackie was also a proud member of the American Association of University Women until the Association favored the legalization of abortion; she then vigorously resigned in opposition to the Association's stand. After raising her children, our parents pursued their hopes to travel. Within a week of our father's retirement, they left for Europe to fulfill our mother's dream of seeing Paris and the Vatican. They travelled again to Europe, eventually seeing England, Spain, nations thereabout, and drove throughout America. After our father's death, our mother continued to travel with friends until she was in her eighties. All of her life, our mother was fiercely spiritual, kind, and compassionate. Having grown up in the deep south of rural Maryland, undoubtedly seeing the horrors of segregation, our mother behaved as if she alone would correct the injustices that she had seen. Our mother was kind to all, ensuring that everyone would be welcome and respected in her presence. During one trip to Ottowa with an African American friend, she was asked "Why did you bring her along?" Our mother, undoubtedly in her strong and assured voice, proudly said, "Because she is my friend." Our mother's love of education and reading led her to obtain her master's degree in literature at the age of 70. She wrote several articles in various publications, including the Catholic Herald. As her final literary effort, she began her book. She desired to explain how people were more alike than different by identifying the similarities, rather than the differences, between the Catholics and Jewish faiths. For well over a decade our mother researched and wrote on the subject. In her eighties she purchased a computer to assist in her writing and also to not be left behind as the culture evolved into the electronic age. Unfortunately, due to the unavoidable impact of aging on her mind, Jackie never completed this loving project, but her efforts demonstrate the importance of love, devotion and commitment to our sisters and brothers. Although she never spoke of it, this project demonstrates Jesus' parable of the shepherd who left his herd of 100 sheep to find the one lost lamb and its message that we should not think in worldly terms, but seek to think divinely. By particularly focusing on the relationship of Jews and Catholics, Jackie's effort reflected the teaching of Saint (Pope) John XXIII, who spoke of the connection between the faiths, advising that Jews are Catholics' ancestors; or as explained by another priest, "no one questions that Jews were God's people during the time of Moses, but they still are. God does not change His mind." Perhaps without realizing it, our mother strived to think divinely by telling of this strong relationship between the two faiths. Jackie and her husband William were married 40 years before his death in 1985. She is survived by six children, William Jr., Paul, Louis and Mary Jo Krug, Tom and Connie Krug, Mary and Robert Sklar, Michael and Francine Krug. She also leaves six grandchildren and seven great-granchildren. Her family thanks the staff at The Commons in Elk Grove and then Gramercy Court skilled nursing facility for the loving care that our mother and we received during the final year of her life. We thank you for joining us at the funeral Mass which was held Saturday, November 1 at St. Mary's cemetery chapel, in Sacramento at 11:30 a.m.