OUR DEAR FRIEND AND COLLEAGUE
JIM KRUG
REMEMBERED
Family, friends, and residents mourn the passing
of long-time Floral Park resident, and Village employee James Krug who died on
March 17, 2007. Jim is survived by his wife Karen, sister Marilyn, son
James and daughter-in-law Joan and their six children and daughter Jennifer and son-in-law
Craig.
Jim Krug was a man of many talents, interests and loves. Jim was born in
1938 in the very same house built by his father in which he lived the majority
of his life. His formative years at Our Lady of Victory School played a major
role in Jim's life. During his grammar school days and later in high
school, Jim played basketball at the Recreation Center, which would later fall
under his auspices as the Superintendent of Recreation. Jim's family ran a
concrete/masonry business which poured the foundation for Our Lady of Victory
Church and constructed the marble for the altar.
After graduation from Our Lady of
Victory, Jim went on to become a legendary basketball star at Sewanhaka High
School. On a basketball scholarship, Jim excelled in the back court at the University of New Hampshire
at Plymouth.
This foundation and great love for the game were the genesis for the next 30
years of Jim's life. Decorating Jim's office in the Shelter House at the
Floral Park Recreation Center were dozens of pictures spanning his high school
and college basketball careers. Although Jim continued to play semi-pro
basketball after his graduation from college, he felt a special calling to work
in education. It was Jim's ability to communicate and connect with the
youth that led him to wonderful teaching and coaching careers at Levittown
Division Avenue High School. Until his retirement in 1998, Jim was a physical
education teacher, health teacher, varsity basketball coach and tennis coach.
During his tenure at Division Avenue High School, he was so admired by the
students that their yearbook was dedicated to him in his retirement year.
His love for teaching, coaching and athletics formed strong bonds and nurtured
many generations of young men and women in both Levittown and Floral Park.
Jim was a professional in every sense of the word. He could often be seen
during the hot summer months working with not only adult and youth residents on
their tennis skills, but also with grandson Joey on building a strong foundation
in the game he truly loved. It is this special affinity for education and
children that has endeared him to old and young alike.
However, long before Jim started working at Division Avenue High School or for
the Village of Floral Park, he met a special young lady through a blind date set
up by his sister and Karen's mother who worked together. This bond was so
special that Jim and Karen married in December 1969. They moved to Dover,
New Hampshire where Jim both taught and coached. Upon returning to his
West Hitchcock Street residence, Jim moved on to the Levittown School District.
He later earned a Master's Degree in Health Education from Hofstra University.
The Village of Floral Park was
very fortunate that Jim Krug was able to lend his talents, energy and vision to
the Floral Park Recreation Department. While still teaching, Jim began his
village career as the Assistant Pool Director. Within the next few years,
Jim moved over to the playground as the Superintendent of Recreation, where he
was the founding father of the diverse and popular summer programs for adults
and youth that are currently in place today. Under Jim's direction, in
1983, the now extremely popular youth sports camps were created.
Jim's tenure as Superintendent also included the expansion of the adult
volleyball program and the re-institution of the night time adult basketball
program. Back in the early 1960's, Jim and several teams of resident
hoopsters participated on a single east-west basketball court at the park.
Recognizing the need for improved playing conditions for both young and older
basketball players, Jim was responsible for the creation of the current two
court set up and the additional multi-purpose courts at the playground.
However, Jim was more than a creator of programs in the village. Along
with a dedicated staff that he hired and trained year round, Jim placed a heavy
emphasis on the beautification and maintenance of the seven acres of this
recreational site. In the spring time, Jim greatly enjoyed working on the
field in preparation for the youth and adult baseball and softball seasons.
When rainy condition struck the seven baseball diamonds, little league managers
and coaches could always see Jim on a tractor, raking the fields and making
every attempt to ready them for that next "big" game. Prior to the
installation of the current underground irrigation/sprinkler system, Jim made
every attempt to bring water to the fields so the grass would not turn brown.
One very dry summer, Jim suffered a debilitating back injury in his effort to
water Field #2 via a fire hose. This facility will always have roots to
Jim's tenure as superintendent.
Later, an outstanding athlete with both speed and excellent hand-eye coordination, Jim turned his desire to excel in sports to the game of tennis. Both Jim and Karen enjoyed journeying to Flushing Meadows during the last weeks of summer to enjoy play at the U.S. Open. Jim was a ranked USTA player, and he has won more various age category single championships than any other tennis player in the community. Jim brought this love of the game to all village residents in many ways. He created a tennis ladder, at one time populated with five divisions of play and serving more than 150 village residents.
Jim was also the founder of summer
tennis lessons for adults and youth. An estimated 2,000 adults and
youngsters have passed through these programs that Jim created 25 years ago.
A lasting tribute to Jim's foresight is the three har-tru tennis courts at the
Floral Park Recreation Center. Jim, realizing that this surface was a more
conducive learning environment for youth, also had the welfare of the older
player in mind when he recommended this type of court to the village board.
The new courts were installed seven years ago, and older and younger players
alike have been thankful to Jim ever since.
As Superintendent of Recreation, Jim became more than a boss to many of the
staff. He became a close friend, a brother, a mentor and even a father
figure. Last year, Jim was recognized at a village board meeting for 25
years of dedicated service to the community.
During the past several years, Jim
and Karen have enjoyed seeing their son James and his wife Joan raise their six
grandchildren, Joseph, Anna, Maria, Madeline, James and John. This summer,
Jim and Karen were beaming at the wedding of their daughter Jennifer to Craig
Stewart, with a very memorable reception held at the Cradle of Aviation Museum
in Garden City. Jim and Karen enjoyed celebrating this momentous occasion
with family and friends.
Ultimately, Jim Krug was a man of many passions. He loved his religion, he
love his family and he loved his friends and neighbors. He loved teaching
and coaching, he loved his morning danish and coffee, he loved sports and, of
course, a good story. Jim loved the park and the town he grew up in.
It is inevitably fitting that Jim Krug live on in our hearts and minds forever.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A commemorative service for Jim Krug was held
prior to the opening tip-off of the adult basketball season. This year
marks the 25th year of both the adult and youth summer programs at the
Recreation Center, and it was Jim Krug who was the creator of these
multi-faceted day and night programs.
After remarks by Senior Program Director John Michon, Village Justice Doug
Hayden (one of Jim's first sport's counselors in 1983) recalled the wonderful
contributions Jim made to the village during his tenure. Trustee and
Recreation Commissioner Jim Rhatigan also acknowledged that Jim's presence will
always be in evidence as the basic layout of the park and the expansion of both
adult and youth programs were Jim's brain child.
Jim's wife Karen, son Jimmy, daughter Jennifer, daughter-in-law
Joan and
Jim's six grandchildren, as well as many relatives and friends were on hand.
Jimmy Krug threw out the ceremonial "jump ball" to
Eric Kroeger (counselor under Jim, now Morning Sports Supervisor) and
Bobby Thomspon (lifeguard under Jim)
L-R: Recreation Committee Member Tom Smith, Trustee
Kevin Greene,
Former Mayor Tom Hayden, Trustee Jim Rhatigan, Village Justice
Doug Hayden, Jennifer Krug,
Night Supervisor Greg Mayerhofer, Karen Krug, Jimmy
Krug, Trustee Tom Tweedy,
Superintendent of Recreation Kurt Meyfohrt, Senior Program
Director John Michon,
Recreation Committee Member Bob Ganun.