SGT Kurt E. Kruize, St Cloud, MN, 10, 11, 12 APR 10



First and foremost: THANK YOU to all members that were able to make all or any part of this mission. I can say without reservation that "WE" did make a difference for this family.

SUNDAY 11 April 2010 Funeral Home Review:

We had approximately 79 PGR members from all around the state show up and help us get through this long day. We stood the flag line from about 2 PM through 9 PM, starting with about 45 members present at staging. After a briefing and short prayer we moved to the Funeral home and were able to provide a good looking sea of Red, White, and Blue that even attracted a lot of car horns with a thumbs up signal. Amy Klobuchar stop by to pay her respects. Doug and I went inside, I introduced Doug to Billie Jo, Kurt's wife and to Bev and Lyle, Kurt's parents. Ricks daughter went and got a few cases of water and ice for the PGR members. The family was worried about us standing outside all day. Throughout the day the family would come outside to check on us and give a pretty solid lecture about getting our "butts" inside for a bite to eat. In the end we were given no choice and a few of us stepped in to share a few moments with them. We were thanked so many times by the family. As the night came to a end, about 20 PGR members filed in as a group and we payed our last respects to SGT Kruize.

MONDAY 12 April 2010 St Mary's Cathedral St Cloud MN:

We started the day with approximately 35 PGR members present for our staging at 7:00 AM. After the briefing (8:00 AM) and a short prayer we moved to the church to set up an impressive flag line in front of the Church and up the "MANY" steps leading to the main doors. We sent Greg Studer (St Cloud RC) along with 8 bikes to the Funeral Home to provide an impressive escort from the Funeral Home to the Church ,one of the family members (James) rode his bike on the escort. They had a multiple Police car escort to the church. Upon arrival of the family for SGT Kruize the St Cloud Leadership, Jason (Brainerd RC), and George presented 2 Plaques and 4 Coins on behalf of the MN PGR. I will tell you this was not easy, I know for me I struggled! Lt Gov Carol Molnau, US Rep Michelle Bachmann, Sen Al Franken and Mayor Dave Kleis attended the funeral.

The Church service started at 10:30 sharp, at which time we broke down the flag line. About 20 members remained at the church for escort and a flag line following the services. The remainder of our members followed me from St Cloud to Little Falls where we gathered with an impressive 35 plus members that were waiting for us. What a rush to have the Canteen come into view and see that many members waiting for us! We received a briefing from Jim Parent, then proceeded to the Cemetery for our flag line. With the number of members present we were able to surround the entire building at the Cemetery (what a great picture). The Funeral escort arrived about 12:40 with a full police escort. SGT Kruize entered the facility as a bagpiper played, which was just awesome. Following the services within the facility, a Military firing squad honored SGT Kruize with a 3 volley shot group and then TAPS was played.

This is something that needs to be added to the mission report:

There was a young disabled man named John that was hanging around the church. Rick Johnson started talking with him. John said he was going to go fishing but he had heard about the funeral for the solider. He said he rode his bike 4 miles to be there. As Rick was on the flag line, John asked Rick if he could hold the flag for a while. Rick handed him the flag. John had a really big smile on his face. When the service started the flag line broke down. Rick introduced John to me. John sat around with us, asked questions about the PGR and ate a bag of cookies that Rick gave him. John said he spends allot of time by the Vietnam memorial by Lake George, he said that memorial stands for allot of soldiers that lost their lives. It was about time to go back on the flag line, I walked over to my bike to get things put away for the escort. John followed me there, he asked me if I could take a small flag off my bike so he would have one to hold when the family came out. I thought about it and gave John my 3X5 flag, walked him over to the church and put him on the flag line on the steps of the church. You had to be there to see how PROUD that young man was. He stood tall with that flag! When we were ready to leave for the escort I walked over to John to get my flag, He thanked me for letting him hold the flag for the soldier and gave me a very big hug. I just want to thank Rick for taking time for this young man. What Rick did got this special young man involved in our flag line. Thank you Rick!!!! You made him a very proud young man.

We maintained our flag line longer then most as it was SGT Kruize wife's desire to remain until SGT Kruize was placed into his final resting place. We dismissed the flag line around 2:30 PM at which time we all headed back to the Canteen for a meal special and a chance for us to unwind before heading down the road without time to absorb what we just witnessed.

Thank you to the Brainerd Sector for the flag line at camp!!!!!

If I try to thank everyone involved by name I will forget someone, so I can only say THANK YOU to all that took time to help us out. I am so proud of what we did and the manner in which we did it. This is what it is all about and I can say I will make every effort to help out all the Sectors in MN when I can. This is a big Mission to pull off and I can attest to what has to happen to make it work. I salute the many RC'S that have went through this. The MN leadership as a whole helped a great deal and made this as easy as possible for us and you are truly appreciated for what you did.

Please enjoy the hard work by "FLASH" (John Thomas Brainerd Sector) and Joann Collins (St Cloud Sector) for all the pictures. Thank You John and Joann!

(@) Pictures from mission

(@) More pictures from mission

(@) PGR National Thread

(@) St Cloud Times Mission Story

Written By:
Greg Studer
Rick Rakow