Our History

Since 1858, six generations of Kruegers have provided personalized, sensitive and caring funeral services to our community and the surrounding areas. We are proud to continue the family business which we began more than 150 years ago.

Christian Krueger Jr and his family arrived in Blue Island in 1851 and shortly thereafter opened a carpenter and cabinetry shop in town. The Krueger family became involved in funeral service when Christian was soon called upon to make plain, simple wood coffins for his fellow townspeople and local farmers.

Christian Jr also served Blue Island as Village Trustee, Chairman of the Village Board from 1880-1883, School Director for 15 years, Township Supervisor and Road Commissioner.

Christian's son, Robert, learned the art of embalming in the 1880's and opened a storefront "undertaking" business on Western Avenue between New and Vermont Streets. In those days, wakes took place at the family's home and Robert, along with his son, Robert Jr, engaged in the family business on Western Avenue until the funeral home was built in 1927.

Robert Jr. moved into the newly built funeral home when it was completed. The funeral home was designed by Blue Island's own Robert Seyfarth, with living quarters on the second floor for the funeral director and his family. An accomplished regional architect, Robert Seyfarth also designed 6 other prominent homes in town. Actually Robert became a 'shirt tail' relative of the Krueger family when his brother William married Edna Krueger in 1906. In 1993 Krueger Funeral Home was designated as a historical landmark by the Blue Island Historical Preservation Committee.

T. Christian Krueger Sr, the son of Robert Jr, joined the Krueger Funeral Home in 1950, shortly after the sudden death of his father. In 1976 Christian Sr built an attached addition to the Krueger Funeral Home that included a second chapel and family lounge.

Kelle and Clay, the daughter and son of Christian Sr and the fifth generation in the family business, procured their funeral director and embalming licenses in 1977 and 1981, respectively, and now jointly operate the Krueger Funeral Home. In 2006, Kanon Krueger Kysiak obtained his funeral director and embalming license and became the sixth generation in the family business.

Krueger Funeral Home, the oldest business in Blue Island run continuously by the same family, celebrated their 150th year anniversary in 2008