Obituary of Kent Anderson Kreuder

Kent Anderson Kreuder, M.D., 70, died in Meridian, Idaho, on Friday, October 26, 2018 surrounded by family.  A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. on Saturday, November 3, 2018 at Summers Funeral Home in Meridian, Idaho.

Kent was born in Turlock, California on September 3, 1948 to George W. Kreuder and Eunice “Andy” Stella Anderson.  He graduated from Pacific Union College in 1970, and from Loma Linda University School of Medicine in 1973.

He married Marilyn Munsey in 1974, and they moved to Royal Oak, Michigan where he completed a 5 year surgical residency at William Beaumont Hospital.  While in Michigan, their first daughter Nichole was born.  In December 1978 they moved to Caldwell, Idaho where he began his surgical practice specializing in general & vascular surgery.  His second daughter, Angela, was born in Caldwell in 1979. Although Kent and Marilyn divorced in 2009, they remained family and Marilyn was a friend and strong support until the end.

Dr. Kreuder was a fellow of the American Board of Surgery, and for several years served as governor for the American Board of Surgery representing Idaho.  Dr. Kreuder was affiliated with multiple hospitals in the area including West Valley Medical Center, St. Alphonsus Medical Center, and St. Luke's Regional Medical Center. Dr. Kreuder was a gifted physician, and rare was it he would go anywhere without running into someone who had been his patient.

Kent loved his family, and there are many happy memories of fun times. Yosemite National Park was a favorite summer spot.  Summers were spent there backpacking, camping, floating the river and daily trips for ice cream with family, and the Clendenon’s and Wade’s, who became family. He had a beautiful voice and loved to sing, both in college and later in Caldwell with the Good News Singers. He had a wonderful sense of humor. Weekends meant Saturday game nights and making pancakes for his kids every Sunday morning. We remember and treasure so many memories and moments like these. He loved his family, adored his daughters, and treasured his grandchildren.

We feel like we missed many years with an amazing man due to a horrible disease called frontal lobe dementia. And while we feel robbed of Kent way too young at the hands of a path so devastating, we are choosing today to remember the good and treasure the memories. We are thankful that the suffering due to his body and mind failing him are over.

Kent is survived by his two daughters, Nichole Kreuder McLendon (Patrick) of Cheney, Washington,   Angela Kreuder Lowman (Todd) of Eagle, Idaho; four grandchildren, Connor Franklin of Boise, Jenna Franklin of Boise, Brinley Kendall of Eagle, Brielle Kendall of Eagle; three siblings, Edith Deming (Douglas) of Loma Linda, California, Kathleen “Kathy” Kreuder of Modesto, California, Janet Way (Gary) of Bismarck, North Dakota; and numerous nieces & nephews. He is also survived by many friends who are remembering him with us today. A family and a community has lost a part of itself. We are all grieving for that.