FRIENDS and family and Labor Branch members attended Warrill Park Lawn Cemetery last week for the funeral service of Norman Henry Kruger.
Mr Kruger was born on October 4, 1931, and served Ipswich City Council as a councillor from 1979 to 1994.
A life member of the Australian Labor Party, the Mr Kruger died on January 10. he was 93 years old.
Mr Kruger joined the Australian Labor Party in 1958, in the years following the Queensland Labor split of 1955.
His membership number was 936. Today such numbers are five digits.
In recognition of his service to the party, he was awarded ALP Life Membership in 2015.
Mr Kruger was active around Pine Rivers in his younger years before moving to Ipswich in the mid-1970s.
He was elected as a Labor councillor on the Pine Shire Council in 1958, which was renamed the Pine Rivers Shire Council in 1959.
His experience growing up on the family farm in Murrumba Downs in the Pine Rivers area affected him greatly; he had no time for the Country Party and Bjelke-Petersen.
He stood unsuccessfully for the local state seat of Murrumba three times – in 1960, 1963 and 1966.
Mr Kruger was a frequent delegate to several committees, including Municipal Electoral Councils (MECs), State Electoral Councils (SECs) and Federal Electoral Councils (FECs).
Later, after moving to Ipswich, he was elected an Alderman of the Ipswich City Council in March 1979, representing Division 4, which included part of Booval, North Booval, East Ipswich and Basin Pocket, for 15 years until March 1994.
In 1979, when Des Freeman was elected mayor, Mr Kruger was elected on his primary vote.
During his time in office, he also served as deputy mayor and committee chairman for planning and finance.
Federal Member for Blair Shayne Neumann attended the funeral and remembered Mr Kruger with affection.
“If you look at council photos from that time, you will see that Norm cut quite a dashing figure, sporting dapper grey suits and bold ties,” Mr Neumann said.
“In his later years, Norm moved to Marburg, where he used to enjoy sitting on his front verandah surveying the scene, bantering with local passers-by and calling local MPs’ offices to offer advice or pass on local intelligence.
“I used to call him the mayor of Marburg, and enjoyed catching up with him at community events, like the Marburg Black Snake Creek Festival and Glamorgan Vale Christmas Carnival.
“Even to the end, he kept his humour while being cared for at the Milford Grange nursing home.
“I offer my deepest condolences and sympathies to Norm’s wife Jan and daughter Leanne, and his extended family and friends.”
