Lena Kreutzkamp

July 22, 1920 - March 29, 2015

Lena Kreutzkamp (known as Lynne to family and friends) was born July 22, 1920 in Pasadena, CA, although the family was living in Carlsbad, CA, at the time. Lena was the fifth of six children born to William Kreutzkamp, Sr., and Blanche Gillenwaters Kreutzkamp: Charles, Laura, William, Jr., Max, Lena, and Ruth.

During the Great Depression Blanche’s parents, the Gillenwaters, asked William, Sr., and Blanche to move in with them in their Azusa home in order to “help” them in their senior years. As one-by-one the working children lost their jobs to the Depression, they also moved in to the Azusa home. Everyone did all he or she could to get the family through those terrible economic times.

June 13, 1935, Lena was the Valedictorian of her Intermediate School graduating class in Azusa. After high school she attended Citrus Junior College. In 1943, she was one of the 19 graduates of the Nursing Program at Mercy Hospital in San Diego.

As a young adult, Lena lived in Alaska for a brief period, but disliked being so far from the family, so she returned to Southern California.

She dedicated her life to the care of others.

Her working career was as a Registered Nurse at the City of Hope and Queen of the Valley hospitals. Her personal “career” was as the Family Caregiver. She lived with her parents so she could care for them in their advancing ages and declining health. Also, Lena was always right there to care for aunts, uncles, siblings, and their families, who were sick, injured, or had undergone surgery.

Along with her sister, Laura, Lena was a member of the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution, Encinitas Chapter.

She is survived by six nephews- Bruce, Charles (Chuck), Cliff, Jack, and Max Kreutzkamp, Myron (Glenn) Belden, Jr. – and three nieces – Beverley Kongle, Charlene Price, and Dianne Church - and their families.