Albert Krienke

Funeral services will be held on Monday, July 26, 2021 at 2:00 pm at First Presbyterian Church with Rev. Rob Oates and Rev. Caleb Galloway officiating. Burial with Military Honors will follow in Memory Hill Cemetery. The family will receive friends at the church for one hour prior to the service.

Albert was born in Muskegon, Michigan on January 23, 1930 to the late Gilbert Benjamin Krienke and to the late Marie Katherine Vogl Krienke. The family moved to Owatonna, Minnesota when Al was young. He spent his childhood in Owatonna then moved to Port Orchard, Washington at the age of 14. After graduating high school, he enlisted in the Army. The first 10 years he worked in the motor pool. The last 11 ½ years, he was a fixed-wing pilot, helicopter pilot, instructor pilot and test pilot. While in flight school at Fort Rucker, he met the love of his life, Jane Thornton. They married on April 6, 1957. They had three children, Allen, Dawn and Jerri. He served one tour in Vietnam as a helicopter pilot. Al was shot down and wounded for which he received a Purple Heart and Distinguished Flying Cross Medals. After retiring from the Army, he settled in Dothan. He received a Bachelor in Arts degree in Business Administration with a minor in Accounting from the University of Alabama. His second retirement was with the Revenue Department of the State of Alabama as a Tax Examiner.

Al was predeceased by his parents and three sisters, Dorothy Simpson, Mary Ann Busek and Virginia James.

He is survived by his wife of 64 years, Jane Thornton Krienke; his son, Allen (Karen) Krienke of Attalla, AL; his daughters, Dawn (Stan) Kemp of Dothan and Jerri (Jeff) Byers of Helena, AL; and his grandchildren, Jeremy (Samantha) Krienke of Chelsea, AL, Alyssa Krienke of Auburn, AL, Andrew Byers of Fredericksburg, Virginia; Caleb Byers of Helena, AL and Ella Byers of Helena, AL; and many nieces and nephews and cousins whom he all loved and was fondly known as "Uncle Butch."

He was a member of First Presbyterian Church since 1980. The church members were special to him and close to his heart.

Burial Date July 26, 2021 Funeral services will be held on Monday, July 26, 2021 at 2:00 pm at First Presbyterian Church with Rev. Rob Oates and Rev. Caleb Galloway officiating. Burial with Military Honors will follow in Memory Hill Cemetery. The family will receive friends at the church for one hour prior to the service.