Raymond G. Kroker, 94, of Huntley, Illinois formerly of Albuquerque, New Mexico, died peacefully on June 28, 2017. A visitation will be held Sunday from 5:00 to 7:00pm at DeFiore Jorgensen Funeral Home-10763 Dundee Road- Huntley, Illinois. A funeral service will be held 10:30am at the funeral home, burial to follow will be in Elmwood Cemetery in River Grove, Illinois.
Mr. Kroker was born November 11, 1922 in Chicago, Illinois the son of George Frederick and Lillian (Solhem) Kroker.
Mr. Kroker graduated from Northwestern University with a degree in engineering.
Mr. Kroker served during WWII as a navigator/bombardier of a B-25 with the famed “Burma Bridge Busters” 10th Air Force in China/Burma. Mr. Kroker retired as a Lt. Col. from the United States Air Force Reserve. He was very proud of his military service to his country.
Following his service in the war, Mr. Kroker worked as an electrical engineer for Eureka-Williams for many years while living in Bloomington, IL. He moved his family to Albuquerque, NM in 1969 where Mr. Kroker set up and operated Kroker Engineering. There he designed and manufactured the well-respected model racing boat motors, Sea Wasp, Sea Ram, and Sea Pup, which are still known today.
He was preceded in death by his parents, and a son-in-law Leroy Bianchi.
He is survived by his children, George (Leslie) Kroker, Linda Bianchi, Jeanne
(George) Guerdrum, Kathleen (Bruce) Fleshren. He is also survived by his grandchildren, Molly, Elizabeth and Kristi Kroker, Louis and Anne Bianchi, Jonathan and Geoffrey (Carmen) Guerdrum.
The family of Ray would like to extend a special thank you to all of the staff at Heartstone Manor for all of the care and kindness they showed to Ray in his last days.
For further information please call the funeral home at 847-515-8772 or on-line condolences may be directed to www.defiorejorgensen.com
Please leave a video condolence by entering your name and click the "Record" button below. You can always preview your video prior to submitting it. Please note that you may receive a prompt to grant DefioreFuneral access to your camera. This is only temporary and will be solely for the duration of recording your condolence message.
Hi from Ilah in the ABQ area. Sorry for your loss. Mike also sends his condolences. Ray was such a fun guy, I can still conjure up his great laugh! Dave and & were discussing that very thing when he told me a few days ago. He was so kind to my mother Norma, lots of good times. I have a pic of her that he took, she is leaning over the railing at La Posada in Santa Fe, she is smiling at him, the intrepid photographer! The pic makes me happy; she is so happy right at that moment being with your dear dad! My love to all of you. Ilah Jones & Mike Hill
I had an excellent business relationship (banking) with Ray. He was always forthright in all of our dealings. His honesty, character and integrity were always above question. I will forever remember our business and philosophical discussions over lunch at his favorite Bella Vista. My condolences to his family.
Ray was first a business acquaintance, but inevitably he became a friend. We were fortunate to be able to visit him several times in the last six years-- he was always so dapper, even into his 90's. As history buffs it was special to be able to coax a few stories out of Ray about his days aboard the B-25. It was important work he was doing, like saving-the-world, history changing work... and there was Ray doing it, hardly out of boyhood-- what a great representation of the Greatest Generation. Of course he was humble about it, but he seemed to appreciate the interest too! It was an honor to call him friend and we will miss him.