Lucian "Dick" Kroska – ROCHESTER

Lucian "Dick" Kroska, 87, died Monday at St. Marys Hospital.  Dick was born August 17, 1922 in Duelm, Minnesota to Alma and Antone Kroska.  Early in his childhood he moved with his family to Faribault, Minnesota.  He graduated from Faribault High School in 1940.  As a young man he worked in his father's grocery store as a meat cutter.  He later worked as a salesman for Wilson Meats and Interstate Meats of Albert Lea.

He married Angela Dudley on May 14, 1946 in Shieldsville, Minnesota at St. Patrick's Catholic Church.  The couple lived in Faribault, MN, Eau Claire and Wausau, Wisconsin during the first years of their marriage.   In 1958 they moved to Rochester where they resided until 1991.  For the next twelve years they made their home in Byron, MN until 2003 when they returned to Rochester.

In April 1943 Dick was inducted into the Army Air Corps.  He served in WW II as a radio operator on

B-17's.   He was a member of the 379 ^th bombing crew of the 8 ^th Air Force.  He proudly and successfully completed 35 missions in the European Theater.  This was a great source of pride throughout his life.  He continued his love of service by travelling to Air Force reunions and maintaining lifelong friendships with his crew members.  In 2008 Dick was privileged to fly to Washington, D.C. on the Veterans Honor Flight.

In 1949 he enlisted in the National Guard where he was called to serve in the Korean War.  He was a member of the Korean War Veterans breakfast club in Rochester for many years.

He is survived by Angela, his wife of 63 years; daughters, Luanne (Larry) Koshire of Rochester; Shelly Kuhlmann of Oronoco; Amy (Rob Clark) Kroska of Norman, Oklahoma; son Nicholas Kroska of Rochester and foster daughter Sue (Jon) Birch of Faribault; grandchildren Christopher (Kristi) Koshire; Molly (Dan) Gossman; Andrew (Gretchen) Koshire; Emily (Jack) Fugalli; Nicholas (Marcela) Kuhlmann, Peter Kuhlmann, Aaron Kroska, Brett Kroska, Michael (Jennifer) Birch  and 9 great-grandchildren.  He is also survived by a brother and a sister; Rita Kroska and Kenneth Kroska, both of Tucson.

Dick was a devoted and beloved husband, father and grandfather.  He spent many years sharing his love of carpentry with family and friends through remodeling, building furniture, making birdhouses and wood crafts of every kind.  One of his other great joys was spending family time at his cabin on Cannon Lake in Faribault.  He was a hard worker, an honorable man and loved by many.

He was preceded in death by his brothers Ralph and Robert Kroska and son-in-law Michael Kuhlmann.

A Mass of Christian burial will be held on Friday September, 11 ^th at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church in Rochester at 1:30 p.m, with the Rev. Charlie Collins officiating.  Visitation will be held at St. Francis on Thursday September 10th from 5pm to 8pm; friends may also call on Friday one half hour prior to the service.  Graveside service will be following the funeral on Friday at 5pm, St. Lawrence cemetery, Faribault.

Memorials are suggested to the Lourdes Building Our Future campaign for the new high school.