Arthur Frederick Krebs

Arthur Frederick Krebs (Art) was born in Walla Walla on December 28, 1925 to Frederick and Millie Krebs.  Art attended Berney Grade School and graduated from Wa-Hi in 1944 during World War II.  He enlisted in the Army Air Corps and was sent to radio school in Wisconsin.  After finishing school, he was deployed on a troop ship to Okinawa , Japan, but during the voyage one of the soldiers contracted polio, a dread disease at the time,  The ship was quarantined for a month in Tokyo Harbor.  He spent 6 months in Okinawa and 4 months in the Philippines.  The war ended shortly after that and he was discharged in 1946 and sent home.  He attended Washington State College graduating in 1951.  He was a member of Phi Kappa Tau Fraternity.  After graduation, he worked in Oakesdale, WA for a few years.

In 1953 he was employed by Birds Eye a Division of General Foods Corporation, a frozen food plant in Walla Walla.  He was hired as the Sanitation Foreman, but worked in various roles, production foreman, warehouse foreman, eventually ending up in his dream job, as a fieldman.  He loved his job.  He was named Superintendent of the Field Department and held that title throughout the sale of Birdseye to D & K Frozen Foods, then Stokeley until his retirement.  Art met his wife, Crystal, the new girl in the office, in 1953 while both were employed by Birds Eye. They were married in August, 1955 in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho.

Art, while working was a member of the Vegetable Growers Ass’n.  He was a lifetime member of the Elks Club and the VFW.  He was member of Assumption Catholic Church for over 50 years, still ushering until the last month

Art is survived by his wife Crystal (Bennett); Children, Alan (Suzette), Donna (Ed) Nelson, Steven (Dana), Bob (Jennifer), Rick (Brenda) and Ann (Dana) Knudtson, 12 grandchildren, 7 great-grandchildren and many nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in the death by his parents and his sister Irene Sampson.

During retirement, he took great pride in his garden and yard and furnished vegetables & berries to family and friends.  He loved his Koffee Klatch”.  He was so proud of his children and their accomplishments and took great delight attending his grandkids sports and school activities.

Art was well respected by his peers, grower’s & the agricultural community.  He was greatly respected for his integrity and honesty.  He was a quiet unassuming man who didn’t want a lot of attention drawn to himself.  He also had a dry wit and sense of humor, while we were laughing hysterically at some quiet comment he’d made, he might have a little smile on his face. He was gentleman.

The family would like to thank Dr. Haugen and the staff at St. Mary Hospital, who were incredibly kind to us.  Art was well loved by his family and we will miss him.

Viewing and Visitation will be held on Friday, March 8, 2019 from 3:00PM until the Recitation of the Holy Rosary at 6:00PM at the Herring Groseclose Funeral Home.  The celebration of the Funeral Mass will be held at Assumption Catholic Church Saturday, March 9, 2019 at 10:00AM.  Interment will follow at Mountain View Cemetery, Walla Walla, WA.

Memorial Contributions may be made to the Shriners Children’s Hospital, Assumption Catholic Church or the charity of the donor’s choice through the Herring Groseclose Funeral Home 315, W. Alder, Walla Walla, WA.