Richard Joseph Krueger passed away, at age 78, on Thursday, March 2 ^nd , 2023. He was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on March 10 ^th , 1944, to Walter and Josephine Krueger. Richard grew up in West Allis, Wisconsin; attended and graduated from Nathan Hale High School and later studied art at the University of Wisconsin, Madison. In 1965, he married Constance Spicero, who gave birth to his first son, Richard James Krueger, and then in 1967, Michael Joseph Krueger—both are artists and educators. Shortly afterward, he and his family moved to Sioux Falls, South Dakota where he lived the rest of his life. After a divorce, Richard married Mary Frederickson, in 1975, with whom he lived for many years. His wife Mary gave birth to three children, who he loved deeply, including his twin sons, Elliot and Ellery Krueger, and then later, his first daughter, Jennifer Poulos. Richard's grandchildren include Jasper, Austin, Ayden, Amelia, Strayhorn and Maceo. His great grandchild, the son of Jasper Spicero, is the beautiful, 1 year old Elmer Spicero. Richard was also much loved by Richard James Krueger's wife Hua "Jojo" Shen, and Michael Krueger's wife, Donika Wiley, and Jennifer Poulos husband Chris.

Although Richard was employed, for most of his working life, at Sears, in Sioux Falls, SD—as a display manager—his greatest joy came from artmaking and exhibiting. Richard worked in various media including drawing, painting, sculpture, digital photography, and hybrids of those. His works mostly concentrated on the landscape, political and social issues, but also on spiritual beliefs, and his own personal experiences. His works were displayed in numerous galleries including Frogman Press in Beresford, SD—where he exhibited with his son's Richard and Michael; Eide / Dalrymple Gallery at Augustana University in Sioux Falls, SD; Washington Pavilion in Sioux Falls, SD, and the Sioux City Arts Center. Other works were included in the South Dakota Governor's Biennale Art Show, and a traveling exhibition, which was displayed in many cities across the state of South Dakota. It is important to note that Richard served as a founding member of the East Bank Art Gallery in Sioux Falls, SD where he also exhibited, but which was designed to support emerging artists.

Among his greatest joys was traveling and camping, especially in the Black Hills of South Dakota, but also all across the West including Wyoming, Utah, Colorado, Minnesota, and Wisconsin. Richard was a great environmental thinker who loved the outdoors, the creatures of the natural world, and even once organized a campaign, with his great friend and fellow artist, Carl Grupp, to clean up the Sioux River, in South Dakota.

Richard was preceded in death by his father Walter Krueger, his mother Josephine Krueger, and his sister-in-law Kay Krueger, and is survived by all his children, grandchildren, great grandchild, his brother David Walter Krueger and both of his ex-wives.

He will be dearly missed.