Mary Kreuger Obituary

Mary Virginia Kreuger, 88, of Hugo (formerly Golden Valley), Minnesota, passed away peacefully on January 24, 2026.

Mary (nee Desautels) was born in Aberdeen, South Dakota, where she met and married her high school sweetheart, Reo Paul Kreuger. The young couple moved to Fresno, California, where they welcomed their first son, Larry. Mary was so happy to be a mom and often shared how much fun it was to take her sweet baby everywhere.

With the happy arrivals of son, Jeff and daughters, Carol and Julie, Mary and Reo raised four children together. She embraced caring for and nurturing her active family and had a keen sense to recognize when some "one on one" attention and guidance would help each child along the way. She took care of the young family through Reo's college education in Fresno, and through moves to Yorktown, Virginia, and eventually to Golden Valley, Minnesota. As their children became more independent, she returned to school and obtained an associate's degree at Normandale Community College and worked as a lawyer's assistant.

Music was one of Mary's lifelong joys. An accomplished pianist from a young age, she studied under Aberdeen's well-known teacher Sister Bertrand and even performed with a traveling boy band in high school, much to Reo's playful jealousy. Mary's love of music never faded. In her later years, she could be found smiling and tapping along to familiar melodies during Keystone Place happy hours, a reflection of her naturally upbeat and cheerful spirit.

Mary loved her husband Reo and her family. It brought her great happiness to know that she raised children that went on to have their own families and happy lives. She was always smiling and had a positive attitude towards every situation in her life. She had a way of making people feel seen and cared for, always putting others before herself. She faced every chapter of her life with grace, appreciation, humility and contentment. To Mary, "life goes on" and she would want her life to be remembered with kindness, music, and love.

Mary is preceded in death by her husband Reo; her parents Larry and Evelyn Desautels; and her brother Jim. She is survived by her children Larry (Pam), Jeff, Carol (Brian) Pelletier, and Julie (Brian) De Jong; grandchildren Paul, Lauren, Blake, Chelsea, Paige, and Erin; great-grandchildren Madison, Payton, Colton, Tripp, Finn, and Bridger; brother John and sister Nancy; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Mary was a devoted Catholic and longtime member of Good Shepherd parish in Golden Valley, and later, St. Mary of the Lake in Plymouth. A Mass of Christian Burial followed by interment will be held this summer at St. Mary's Catholic Church where it all began in her hometown of Aberdeen, South Dakota.