Former H-F board member dies at 81

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Donald Kreger

Updated: January 23, 2012 12:23AM

Donald Kreger, a former member of the Homewood-Flossmoor High School District 233 Board, died Wednesday at his home at Olympia Fields Country Club. He was 81.

Mr. Kreger, while school board president, helped shepherd an extensive expansion of the Flossmoor high school, and his financial acumen helped the district earn a better return on its investments and pay for the project without resorting to a property tax increase, his son Mark said.

Formerly of Flossmoor, Mr. Kreger once owned an art gallery in Matteson’s Lincoln Mall, The Art Scene, and also an antiques store in downtown Homewood.

He also worked as an investment adviser and operated his own business, Kreger Capital Management, in Olympia Fields, his son said.

He said his father was on the District 233 board through much of the 1970s and into the early 1980s and presented all four of his children with their diplomas.

Mr. Kreger grew up in Chicago’s Beverly community and graduated in 1947 from Morgan Park Military Academy, now Morgan Park Academy. He later served on the academy’s board of trustees.

He attended Northwestern University, playing on the school’s football team, and graduated in 1951, his son said. His first job out of college was working in advertising for McCall’s magazine.

In addition to his son, Mr. Kreger is survived by two daughters, Holly Economos and Stacey Christensen, and a sister, Jean Kreger Carlson. He was preceded in death by both of his wives, Joan and Wendy, and a daughter, Julie Johnston.

A memorial service will be held at 10 a.m. Jan. 28 at Flossmoor Community Church, 2218 Hutchison Road.