Karen Krug saved my life, or, at least, my freshman year at OPRFHS, which, seemed, at the time, to be the same thing. I was a tuition student from the wrong side of the tracks (two blocks north of North Avenue), which meant I had no friends to hang with at high school. So I felt very alone on my first ride on the Oak Park Avenue bus. I was anxious and not very confident. I was on my last nerve when the doors opened a few stops after mine and two living Barbies entered the bus–-blonde, blue-eyed, perfectly groomed, stylishly dressed, size 6, dating-the-captain-of-the-football-team cheerleaders--who took the first row seats that seemed to be theirs by divine right. They were everything I was not and would never be. With a strong sense of impending doom, I watched other people board the bus. The last on was Karen Krug. She smiled at everyone, then took the seat next to me. She introduced herself and we started talking. We didn’t stop talking until we got to the door of the school. By then, I felt better and began to believe that I could survive the rigors of freshman year.
Karen Krug and I talked on that bus for four years. I don’t remember any of our conversations, but they must have been very important to me. I made friends, got involved in school activities, passed all my classes (although it was touch and go with Miss Hawkins’ Algebra I) and graduated. But I never told Karen how grateful I was for her friendship and support. So I will do that now.
Thank you Lynn for your comments. Karen was in homeroom with me. We never had any classes together but I remember her as a very sweet person. It is nice to hear more about her even many years later.
Lynne Masel (Walters)
Karen Krug saved my life, or, at least, my freshman year at OPRFHS, which, seemed, at the time, to be the same thing. I was a tuition student from the wrong side of the tracks (two blocks north of North Avenue), which meant I had no friends to hang with at high school. So I felt very alone on my first ride on the Oak Park Avenue bus. I was anxious and not very confident. I was on my last nerve when the doors opened a few stops after mine and two living Barbies entered the bus–-blonde, blue-eyed, perfectly groomed, stylishly dressed, size 6, dating-the-captain-of-the-football-team cheerleaders--who took the first row seats that seemed to be theirs by divine right. They were everything I was not and would never be. With a strong sense of impending doom, I watched other people board the bus. The last on was Karen Krug. She smiled at everyone, then took the seat next to me. She introduced herself and we started talking. We didn’t stop talking until we got to the door of the school. By then, I felt better and began to believe that I could survive the rigors of freshman year.
Karen Krug and I talked on that bus for four years. I don’t remember any of our conversations, but they must have been very important to me. I made friends, got involved in school activities, passed all my classes (although it was touch and go with Miss Hawkins’ Algebra I) and graduated. But I never told Karen how grateful I was for her friendship and support. So I will do that now.
Thank you, Karen. Rest in peace.
lynne
Dawn Kormos (Snuggerud)
Thank you Lynn for your comments. Karen was in homeroom with me. We never had any classes together but I remember her as a very sweet person. It is nice to hear more about her even many years later.
Kathleen Bacom
Some information about Karen:
Karen L. Krug
Born December 21, 1945
Died August 2, 1991, at 46 years of age
You died much too young, dear. Rest in peace.