Herbert S. Krutis, Sr.
March 8, 1929 ~ March 2, 2023 (age 93)
Obituary
Herbert S. Krutis, Sr., March 8, 1929 to March 2, 2023, born in Chicago, Illinois.
Herb received his bachelor's degree in business administration and pursued a master's degree at Loyola University in Chicago, Illinois.
Herb started his career goal by joining Link Belt as a purchasing agent, purchasing a variety of items and services. He served five years at the City of Chicago under Mayor Richard Daly as a specifications engineer securing supply contracts for the new runways at O'Hare airport. Herb had a lifetime opportunity to develop a new purchasing department for Beeline Fashions in Bensenville, Illinois. As purchasing director, he was involved in the county industrial development. It was there that he met his wife Katherine (Saas), at Beeline Fashions and they married shortly thereafter. Herb was offered an opportunity to expand his knowledge at Kellwood Company in New Haven, Missouri in product development and traveled extensively in Japan and Taiwan. Herb moved his family to Albuquerque in 1974. He joined the Bernalillo Treasurer's office as Chief Deputy Treasurer and Investment Officer. While there, he brought innovative investment programs to the office. He handled millions of dollars in daily investments as the investment officer. Herb then moved to the City of Albuquerque as a program analyst to improve operating systems. In 1987, while at the City of Albuquerque serving in the mayor's office, in the Economic Development he was responsible for bringing the first ever Miss U.S.A. Pageant to the city. He also was responsible for bringing the Southwest Airline Air show to Albuquerque. These shows brought worldwide exposure to Albuquerque, New Mexico. He continued to be involved with the mayor's office with projects to promote Albuquerque.
Herb retired in 1999, after twenty years from the city of Albuquerque to open a home-based travel agency to sell worldwide travel. He and Katherine took this opportunity to fulfill his lifetime dream of traveling the world. He literally traveled the world from North Arctic Circle to South Cape Horn; from east to Japan, China, Russia to the Fiji and French Polynesian Island and most of Europe including Egypt and Turkey. Traveling was a dream that Herb had that became a reality.
Herb is survived by his wife Katherine of 53 years; and six children, Kathryn Hayes and husband, Mark of California, Susan Harmon and husband, Mark of Albuquerque, Amy Krutis and husband, Anthony Coleman of Texas, Herbert Jr. and wife, Susan of Virginia, and Karen Smit and husband, Gerrit of North Carolina; ten grandchildren, Christiana, Allison, Amelia, Jessica, Megan, Brennan, Jacob, Elena, Lila and Wyatt; and two great-grandchildren, Carson and Charlotte. He was preceded in death by his daughter, Helen Murray in 2009.
A visitation will be held on Monday, March 13, 2023 from 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m., at FRENCH - Westside. Funeral Services will follow at 2:00 p.m. at First United Methodist Church, 315 Coal Ave SW, followed by interment at Sunset Memorial Park, 924 Menual Blvd NE.
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