Albert Kroll of Johnson City, Texas passed away at the Kerrville VA Hospital on January 2nd, 2015, three days after his 96th birthday. Born December 30, 1918 on the Robinson Ranch in Round Mountain, Texas to Charlotte Pauline "Lottie" (nee Wilke) and Wilhelm Heinrich Gustav "Willie" Kroll, Albert lived and worked nearly his whole life in and around Johnson City. After his parents bought a ranch on A. Robinson Road outside Johnson City when he was three, he attended grades 1-4 at the nearby Wilson School, grades 5-8 at the newly built A. Robinson School, and 9th and 10 grades at Johnson City High School, riding 15 miles round-trip on horseback every day. At age 15, in 10th grade, he left school and began to work full time on the family ranch and on other local ranches.
At age 23, on March 14, 1942, Albert joined the US Army. He was assigned as an infantryman in a heavy weapons company in the Texas-Oklahoma/Tough Hombres 90th Infantry Division. After almost two years of training in Texas, Louisiana, and California, he boarded a ship from New Jersey to England. Following two more months of training, his company landed in Normandy on Utah Beach on June 8, 1944 and was immediately thrown into the front lines. His unit remained in direct contact with the enemy for 74 days, through the Allied breakout and race across France, crossing the Mosel River under fire, and racing north to relieve the siege of Bastogne and end the Battle of the Bulge. Wounded by sniper fire and grenade shrapnel, and the only remaining member of his company not killed or evacuated, on December 30, 1944 he was finally sent to a Quartermaster unit near Paris and, later, Lille, France where he remained until he was sent home in preparation for his discharge from the Army on December 18, 1945. During his service, he rose from the rank of private to staff sergeant and platoon leader. He earned the Combat Infantryman's Badge and his decorations included the Bronze Star, the Europe-Africa-Middle East Campaign Medal with 3 Bronze Stars and 1 Bronze Arrowhead, the Good Conduct Medal, and the American Theater Campaign Medal.
Returning home to Johnson City in 1945, now age 27, Albert settled again into ranching. A few years later, he met Hilda Cheshire of Front Royal, Virginia while she was visiting her friend Dardnella Gipson, in Johnson City, and, on May 30, 1949, they were married in Hagerstown, Maryland. They soon moved to Chicago, where he enrolled in a precision instruments school and worked in a local factory. After graduation, he worked at a nearby steel mill and equipment factory for a year. Yearning to move closer to home, the couple moved to Ft Worth the next year. Albert began work at a job working with precision instruments and they lived there four years until he got a letter from "Mama" that they needed help 'down home' at the ranch on Miller Creek.
Answering his family's call, Albert and Hilda returned to Johnson City around 1955 and soon built a house on (now) Ladybird Lane, where he lived until a few years after Hilda's passing in 2007. Until his 'retirement' and beyond, Albert worked the family ranch, as well as working on a number of other ranches, to include the A.W. Moursund Ranches and the Red McCombs Ranch, and for some time he also worked as a mounted Park Ranger for the Park Service.
In 1964, Albert became the proud father of a daughter, Abbie Jane, followed in 1970 by a second daughter, Elizabeth Lee. He never treated the girls as though they couldn't do anything just because they were girls; he taught them to ride horses and bikes, to fish, to shoot and hunt (he practically burst with pride when each of the girls shot her first deer), to throw a ball, to drive, to swim, and to dance. But most important of all, he taught them always to stand up for themselves. Both graduated from Johnson City Elementary, Junior High, and High School. Albert supported them in all they did and was proud of them every step of the way, for years attending and cheering for them at basketball and softball games, band contests, and school plays and concerts?something they always treasure and carry with them.
Albert loved to work and hated to sit still for long. He was an excellent hunter and fisherman, was a card and dominoes 'shark', and an inveterate repairman and tinkerer. He enjoyed working with his hands and seemingly could fix anything; in the unlikely event he couldn't fix something, he probably could and would make a new one!
He was a natural at telling stories and anecdotes and all his family looked forward to hearing them, even if they had heard them before, because no one could tell a story like he could. Whether talking about some funny thing that happened 'down home', talking about his favorite cowdog, or just telling a good, if occasionally off-color, joke, he was always guaranteed an attentive audience. Some of the family and friends' favorite stories were those of his experiences in WWII, and once he started talking, people just always had just 'one more question' that needed answering.
Most of all, he loved working on the land and with animals. Practically born on a horse, he never met one he couldn't ride, and he seemed to know instinctively how to handle any animal, from dogs to horses to livestock. In fact, his daughters used to say that no one was better at handling animals (and calming crying babies) than their Daddy.
He was a man of courage, conviction, and loyalty. He was trusted and respected by those who knew him, and was loved and will be missed by his family and his friends.
Albert was preceded in death by his wife, Hilda Kroll (nee Cheshire), parents Lottie and Willie Kroll, his sister Alma, brother Emil, and sisters Helen, Mamie, Olevia, Frances, Leona, and Willie Ruth. He is survived by daughter Abbie Jane and son-in-law Bill Green of Fair Oaks Ranch, Texas; daughter Elizabeth Lee and son-in-law James Nielsen of Stonewall, Texas; grandchildren William Green and wife Sarah, Harrison Green and wife Rose, Caroline Green, Charlotte Green, Dillon Nielsen, Dustin Nielsen and Devin Nielsen; great granddaughter Emaline Green, and many nieces and nephews.
Visitation will be Tuesday, January 6, 2015 from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM at the funeral home. Funeral services will be held at Crofts- Crow Funeral Chapel in Johnson City at 11 am Wednesday, January 7, 2015 with burial to follow at Miller Creek Cemetery.
Pallbearers will be Albert's sons-in-law and grandsons--James Nielsen, Dillon Nielsen, Dustin Nielsen, Bill Green, Will Green, and Harrison Green.
Memorial donations should go to the North Blanco County EMS, P. O. Box 557, Johnson City, Texas 78636 or to the Disabled American Veterans Organization (DAV) at DAV.org.