Gerald Gordon Kroll, BHS 1949

Gerald Gordon Kroll, BHS 1949

Gerald Gordon Kroll died of lung cancer Wednesday, March 28, 2012. He was 81.

A native of Kansas City, Mo., Mr. Kroll was born July 8, 1930, to Harry and Maude Fredland Kroll in Kansas City, Mo. Due to the Depression and hard times, the Kroll family took Route 66 to Burbank, which Mr. Kroll considered a paradise. He at-tended school reluctantly but managed to graduate from Burbank High in 1949, in spite of his primary interest in cars.

After graduation he worked for Pacific Telephone & Telegraph before joining the Air Force and serving in Korea. He was trained in communications, graduated at the top of his class and attained the rank of staff sergeant. On Feb. 10, 1952, he married Bettijean Ames at Mather Air Force Base in Sacramento. His wife and soul mate of 60 years, she was born and raised in Mokelumne Hill and graduated from Calaveras High School.

After leaving the Air Force in 1954, Mr. Kroll returned to PacBell in Sacramento. During his years there, he was loaned to Western Electric to work on the Ballistic Early Warning System in Alaska during the Cold War. When this assignment was complete, he, Bettijean and baby Keenen returned to Sacramento via the Alcan Highway. Mr. Kroll resumed his work as an engineer with PacBell and retired in 1983. His favorite assignment was installing the telephone lines at the Cow Palace for the National Republican Convention in 1964.

In 1992, Mr. Kroll and Bettijean moved to Protem, Mo., which Mr. Kroll considered another paradise. Mr. Kroll had many talents and hobbies. He was a master auto mechanic who also restored antique cars and built several vehicles. He built two ultra-light airplanes, reconstructed his homes and worked on many other projects. Mr. Kroll was interested in many diverse subjects and formed definite opinions on them, which he shared with conviction and gusto.

He is survived by his wife Bettijean; his son Keenen Kroll (Katica) of Turlock; daughters Lisa Hale (Ashley), of Mountain Home, Ark., and Shavonne Giblin (Storm) of Forsyth, Mo.; 12 grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his parents; his brother Charles; and a special aunt, Olivia Elleboudt. The family requests that memorials be made to Skaggs Professional Hospice, P.O. Box 650 Branson, MO 65616.

Calaveras Enterprise, April 17, 2012