Birth date: Aug 20, 1930 Death date: Nov 27, 2019
Harry E. Krug, Jr., 89, of Pittsburg, KS, passed away Wednesday, November 27, 2019, at Ascension Via Christi Hospital. Harry was born on August 20, 1930 in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, to Rev. Harry Krug and Mabel (Cutler) Krug. On June Read Obituary
I met Harry when he ran the arts and crafts center for the US Army at Grenadier Kaserne, Stuttgart, Germany, in the early 70's, when I was a young officer. I admired his work. I have a few of his lithographs he created while there - I had to beg him to let me buy one of them. If one of his surviving family can put me in touch with Sue Wolfe, his assistant who at the time who taught photographic printing, I would be most grateful.
Neal V [email protected]
The last time I visited with Harry was pure Harry krug. I saw him outside the cinema at the mall, my Dad and I were waiting for movie time. I introduced them and we chatted for a short while. After drinking huge Cokes with our hotdogs and popcorn we decided to visit the men's room. We discussed the movie while taking care of business when we were startled by a booming voice. "Alright you two, hands in the air!". I looked back to see who was there and what the hell was going on.
Of course it was the great man himself, grinning from ear to ear.
We finished up and headed to the lavatory. To make a long story short, the three of us got to talking. Harry told me about his trip to Europe which had inspired his photographic work I had just seen hanging in the library.
I told him how the painting I had on loan to said library was hung in the spot where one of his seriphgraphc prints had been for months. I told him I could never come close to filling such a space but I was amused by the coincidence. He smiled and said, if you believe in circumstances. He told me maybe it would best be seen as a critical juncture. A term I bad first heard him use back when I a student of his. That phrase struck me as curious and I called the next exhibit of my artwork Just Another Critical Juncture
Conversation drifted to his story of being stationed in Germany and putting his marksmanship to use and how he had grown up hunting in Wisconsin.. We compared our stories of our times up there.
He told one story, I think it was the one about being caught on a mesa in a huge thunderstorm. By the time he had finished we all three were laughing till our eyes watered.
After about forty-five minutes we parted company. As we crossed the parking lot to the truck my Dad said, " i wish I had a teacher like him when I was in school."
I told him about how the last time I had coffee with Harry I had told him that I felt that I had learned more from him about art and why we do it than all the other professors rolled into one. And after I had begun teaching others about the subject I realized I had learned even more about teaching from him than I had art. Harry just said that is how things work out sometimes.
Harry ranks up there with my heroes, Kurt Vonnegut Jr, Ian Anderson, Willie, to name s few.
To listen to him was always a learning session to anyone that paid him heed. And more often than not he taught wearing the smile of reason.
Harry was a wonderful man, as anyone who knew him knows. I LOVED listening to his stories and visiting with him during our time together at Oak View Estates. My condolences to his family. He will be missed. God bless!
Sorry to hear about Harry's passing. Please know that the Department of Art is thinking of you as you grieve the loss of your father. He was a special person, dear to the department and all of the lives that he touched, having shared his experiences through both his teaching and his art. His support of the Arts and the Department of Art will be missed in the community. I never had the chance to work with him directly, but enjoyed the many conversations and great amount of support that he gave to me as a new faculty member, and then as a recent chair. With our deepest sympathies the Pittsburg State University, Department of Art.
Harry Krug was the most impactful educator I've ever had the privilege to have been 'lifted up' by... His art spoke to me because it mattered to him. His art truly was his essence, distilled. It's production wasn't spontaneous... it was more often than not the result of deliberate methodical process, which he innovated to make his own. He was curious, introspective, observant... as curious about the inward-facing world as about the 'external' world. He afforded to me indispensable tools for crating art and living life that will stay with me the extent of my own life, and which I have made my own attempts to share with others. I am so grateful to have crossed paths with this good man.
I only ever met Harry once, and it was recently, at the library . He was having a good day and as we chatted, I could feel the huge brightness of his personality. When Kim mentioned his art was there, I immediately knew which pieces were his. They matched, if you know what I mean. I’m so sorry your family is hurting. But the thing you should know is that people like me will still pass his art for years to come, and they will remember him, and they will smile.
As I walked this morning under the pines on a sunny early winter day, I reflected on your love of nature and the respect you had for our family, your friends, and professional colleagues. You are already missed. Love Mark
