Roland W. Krug

Roland W. Krug, a long-time resident of Albuquerque NM, passed away suddenly March 28, 2022 at the age of 95. He was born April 25, 1926 in South Pasadena, CA as the fifth and youngest child of Walter L. and Ruth B. (Pitkin) Krug. Roland grew up with three sisters, Lorayn, Hollys and Wensley and one brother, Norval. After graduating from South Pasadena High School in 1944, Roland joined the U.S. Naval Reserve. In his 2 years of service in the Naval V-12 and V-6 programs, he studied math, navigation, physics and naval science at DePauw and Purdue Universities in Indiana. His studies were followed with boot camp training in Illinois followed by decommission of the LST 1049, a tank landing ship used in World War II.

After honorable discharge from the Naval reserve in July 1946 as a Seaman 2nd Class, Roland returned home and continued his studies at UCLA and Pasadena City College in California, with a focus on Pre-Med. In 1947, a chance opportunity arose to study pharmacy at UNM in Albuquerque, NM. Excited, Roland moved to Albuquerque where he met his future wife, Barbara Ann Hoch in September of 1947 at the Paradise Valley Club. They were married at the First Presbyterian Church in Las Vegas, NM on June 10, 1949. After graduating from UNM in 1950, Roland worked a few years in a retail compounding pharmacy for E. J. Burke before being offered a position and spending the rest of his entire career as a hospital pharmacist at UNM Hospital (formerly BCMC). Roland and Barbara were married for 53 years, raising four children.

They first rented a very small home on Mildred Avenue, then purchased a home on General Arnold to accommodate their growing family. In 1960, Roland and Barbara were able to have a larger ranch home built on Madeira Place, where Roland lived for the rest of his days. Roland and Barbara also built a cabin, in the Evergreen neighborhood in the foothills of the Sandia Mountains so that they could create quality family time. Many enjoyable days and nights were spent at the “cabbie” creating lasting family memories. Sadly, Barbara passed away in 2003, 19 years before Roland. He missed her dearly and gathered the family every year near her birthday to celebrate her life.

Following Barbara’s death, the family would have “Family Night Dinner” once a week to keep the family connected. Roland’s numerous interests and hobbies through his lifetime included filming 8mm family home movies, caring for his lawn and garden, especially his beautiful rose garden, and completing jigsaw puzzles, amassing an extensive collection of Charles Wysocki. Cars were also a big passion, appreciating the innovation, craftsmanship and styling of certain automobiles. As an audiophile, he loved building his stereo and surround sound systems, spending hours listening to speakers and sound equipment at Hi-Fi House and Sound Ideas. Being an avid movie hound, he created a large collection of classic black and white movies, including the silent movies of Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton.

Roland could be considered a “Trekkie”, watching episodes of the original Star Trek television series many times over. Cartoons, especially Looney Tunes characters such as Roadrunner, Wile E. Coyote, Bugs Bunny and Elmer Fudd, and the physical and slapstick comedy of Lucille Ball, Laurel and Hardy and The Three Stooges brought him great joy and laughter. His children and grandchildren now share many of Roland’s lifetime interests. He is survived by his children, Kristine Kline and husband Edward, Marc Krug and wife Yue Zhang, Gary Krug, and Laura Mathews and husband Gary. Also surviving are his four grandchildren, Kinnan Kline and husband Michael Butcher, Jared Kline and wife Karen, Geoffrey Krug, and Holly Krug, two step-grandchildren, Brian Mathews, and Eric Mathews and wife Aprille, one great-grandchild, Castor Kline and three step-great-grandchildren, Gianna, Emily and Geno Mathews.

Celebration of Life services will be held at French Funerals & Cremations, 10500 Lomas Blvd NE, on Friday April 8, 2022 at 11:00 a.m. Interment will follow at Sunset Memorial Park, 924 Menaul Blvd NE.

Good Ol’ Dad / Grandpa, may you rest with your loving wife Barbara upon soft eternal breezes, as a silken butterfly in effortless flight.