Helen Yuditsky
In the summer of 1952, Carl Krueger and his family arrived in Coeur d’Alene and checked into the Holland Motel on East Sherman Avenue. Within the hour there was a knock on their door. Reverend Lyman Winkle, pastor of the First Presbyterian Church, had read in the Coeur d’Alene Press that there was to be a new Supervisor of the Coeur d’Alene National Forest. Lyman recognized the name as being a young Forest Ranger he had known in Cody, Wyoming. In fact, he had performed the marriage of Carl Krueger and Dorothy Siddle in 1934. Carl had subsequently been transferred as Supervisor of U. S. National Forests in North Carolina and Texas before being sent to Coeur d’Alene.
Carl, Dorothy, Ken (a senior in High School) and Helen (a sophomore) soon found a home at 2207 North Ninth Street. At that time it seemed to be way out in the country – even across the new freeway! It had a nice big yard, and an even bigger area in back for a garden. Every summer, for more than thirty years, family and friends enjoyed the corn, beans, cucumbers, raspberries, strawberries, flowers, etc. that grew there
Ken and Helen attended Coeur d’Alene High School at the corner of Seventh and Montana. They both had deep southern accents, and teachers seemed to ask them more than their share of questions in class! Helen soon joined a Horizon Club and Dorothy became its adult leader. In 1955 Helen’s class was the first to graduate from the new Coeur d’Alene High School on 15th Street.
Both Ken and Helen went to the University of Idaho. Ken graduated with a degree in Forestry and eventually earned a Ph.D. in Forest Tree Physiology at Oregon State University. While at Idaho he met Judy Crookham of Caldwell. They married in 1957 and lived in Corvallis with their daughter, Karin. Ken passed away at the age of 33 due to complications from liver disease and severe colitis. Judy continued to teach music at OSU until her retirement in 2005, and remained close to her in-laws for the rest of their lives. She was a great blessing to Carl and Dorothy.
Helen also married in 1957. She and Ron Moen had three children: Mike, a U. of I. graduate, who has continued to live in Coeur d’Alene and owns Panhandle Concrete Products; Todd, who died from leukemia during his senior year at Coeur d’Alene High School; and Tracy, also a U. of I. graduate who was working at the University until she tragically drowned in the Salmon River at the age of 29. Helen and Ron divorced in 1974. Helen later lived for nine years in Sandpoint where she worked for Schweitzer Ski Resort and Sandpoint Unlimited. She also served as a house director for one year at her former sorority, Kappa Kappa Gamma. She has been a member of Chapter AV, P.E.O. since 1958 and a member of the Presbyterian Church since her teen years.
In 1993 Helen married Jack Yuditsky. They built a house in Sandpoint and lived there until moving into McEuen Terrace on Front Avenue in 2002. Jack graduated from the University of Idaho in 1961 and earned his graduate degree in Psychiatric Social Work at the University of Chicago. He worked for the State of Idaho for 16 years in the field of mental health. He was Bureau Chief of Mental Health Services when he resigned. In 1979 he went into private practice. Eventually he and his partners built and operated Pinecrest Psychiatric Hospital in Coeur d’Alene and seven others in five states. Pinecrest is now known as North Idaho Behavioral Health and is owned and operated by Kootenai Medical Center. He and Helen have enjoyed traveling to fifty countries since 1993 and attend almost every Idaho Vandal football game. Jack’s son Bob Yuditsky is a financial consultant at Smith Barney and his wife Mary Kay worked for the Hagadone Corporation for many years.
Mike and Barb Moen live on the Spokane River. Barb is in Personal Banking at Wells Fargo. Daughter Julie graduated from the University of Idaho and is employed as an accountant in Coeur d’Alene. Son Kevin is a member of the U. S. Marine Corp.
Carl was Supervisor of the Coeur d’Alene National Forest from 1952 until his retirement in 1965. A short time later he was hired at North Idaho College where he established the curriculum for a class in Vocational Forestry. He taught there for several years.
Carl and Dorothy were both very active in the Presbyterian Church, serving in leadership roles as well as being advisors to youth groups for many years. Dorothy helped with every rummage sale and wedding reception etc. for over fifty years. They both were major participants in the formation and development of the Museum of North Idaho. The library in the museum is named The Carl Krueger Memorial Library.
One of their greatest joys was packing up their small camper and taking a grandchild or two to a campground for several days, and even to Alaska and back with Mike as their companion.
Carl was a very active member of Rotary Club, the Society of American Foresters and the Hoo-Hoo Club. He was the recipient of the VFW Outstanding Citizen Award in 1979 and 1980, and the Mayor’s Award for Citizen of the Year in 1981.
Dorothy was a member of Chapter AV, P.E.O., a volunteer at the Coeur d’Alene Homes for many years, a Horizon Club leader for thirteen years, mended clothes for Dorcas Clothes Closet, and provided transportation for many friends until she quit driving at age 92. She was honored with the Citizen of the Year Award of Harmony, The American Red Cross 1984 “Volunteer of the Year” award, and was chosen “Woman of the Year” by Beta Sigma Phi in 1969.
Carl died very suddenly in 1985, just four days before his eightieth birthday. The next year Dorothy moved from their Ninth Street home into the apartment building on the corner of Front Avenue and Eleventh Street. She lived there for thirteen years before moving to Fairwinds. She died four years later at the age of 96.
