Allen Arthur ‘Art’ Kroeger
Allen Arthur “Art” Kroeger, 91, of Burnet died in his sleep Jan. 1, 2011. Born Aug. 31, 1919, in Bellville, he was the fifth of eight children in the family of W.A. Kroeger Sr. and Grace Charpiot Kroeger.
He came with his family to Burnet in 1921, where he graduated from Burnet High School in 1937. He began working with his brothers in his father’s freight-hauling business, which over time evolved from a single horse-drawn dray delivering goods from the railroad depot to local businesses, into Kroeger Trucking, Kroeger Moving and Storage, Kroeger Implement Co. and Kroeger’s Service Station.
In 1942 during World War II, he joined the Army Air Corps, serving in the training command until his honorable discharge in 1945. In 1943 he married Winona Clark of Marble Falls.
They had a daughter.
After the war, he returned to Burnet and reopened Kroeger’s Service Station with his brother Vernon Kroeger. He became sole owner of the station in 1948, operating the business until 1978. He then converted the building into rental office space.
He began his second career at Hoover Building Supply and worked there for many years, retiring in 2007.
He had an abiding interest in his community and was active in civic affairs, serving on the draft board in the 1960s, five terms as a Burnet councilman from 1988-1998, president of the library nonprofit and director of the Burnet Chamber of Commerce.
He was particularly proud of the City Council’s achievements during his tenure: Delaware Springs Municipal Golf Course, Hamilton Creek Park and River Walk, the Burnet Community Center, Galloway Hammond Recreation Center and the Burnet downtown expansion project.
Survivors include his daughter Kay and husband Ben Roberts of Gatesville; brother Lloyd and wife Marie Kroeger of Burnet; sister-in-law Bertiel Kroeger of Austin; granddaughters Anne and Sarah Roberts of Gatesville; great-grandson Daily Ward of Gatesville; and many nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his wife in 1978.
A service is 2 p.m. Jan. 5 at the Clements-Wilcox Funeral Home chapel, 306 Texas 29 East in Burnet, (512) 756-2222, with the Rev. Max Copeland officiating. Also, Bill Wilcox will offer his remembrances.
Interment will be at Burnet City Cemetery.
Pallbearers include Charles Kroeger, Steven Kroeger, Jack Edwinson, Ben Roberts, Craig Middlebrook, Joshua Phillips and Sean Phillips.