Werner Kroeker was born on Thanksgiving Day, November 24,1927, near Dolton, South Dakota, to refugee parents from Soviet Russia. Here the family farmed. Early in life Werner felt a calling to pastoral ministry, partly as a result of encouragement by his parents who, having lost their infant firstborn son, then having three daughters, had prayed that God would give them another son. They promised to dedicate this son to the Lord for ministry. Soon thereafter, Werner was born. Werner received his BA from Tabor College, where he met his wife of 63+ years, Elsie Ann Bartel. On their first date Werner told Elsie Ann that he was planning to be a Pastor. After college Werner went to North American Baptist Seminary in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, where he received his M Div. Werner also attended Fuller Seminary, Pasadena, California, where he did all the coursework for a Doctorate of Ministry, but due to pastoral duties never completed his dissertation. He was able to do much of this due to study leaves during his time at Grace Church and Lincoln Glen Church.

During seminary Werner and Elsie Ann added two children to their family, Steven and Karen. After completing seminary in July of 1954, Werner was ordained as a pastor at Silver Lake Mennonite Brethren church in South Dakota. Werner was called to a Mennonite Brethren church plant in the farming area near Harvey, North Dakota and pastored there for five years. During this time two more daughters were born, Janet and Rhonda. In September of 1958, the family moved to Wasco, California where Werner was part of a start-up Mennonite Brethren church. In September of 1963, the family moved to Fresno, California where Werner was pastor of another start-up Church in Clovis, College Community Church Mennonite Brethren. In September of 1971, Werner became the pastor of Grace Church in Santa Barbara, California, where he served until May of 1981 when they moved to San Jose, California, becoming the pastor of Lincoln Glen Church, Mennonite Brethren. In June 1993 he retired from full-time pastoral ministry.

After "retirement", Werner served as interim pastor in the Kitchener Mennonite Brethren church, Kitchener,Ontario, Canada during the summer of 1994. In the fall of 1994, for an entire year he served as a interim pastor of First Mennonite Church, Reedley, California.

From July 1,1993 to January 2001, Werner and Elsie Ann spent the majority of their time in Andhra Pradesh, India, in the village of Shamshabad, near the city of Hyderabad. Here Werner served as a liaison between North American and Indian Mennonite Brethren churches. This was under sponsorship of the Mennonite Brethren Board of Faith and Life and the MB Missions. Both Werner and Elsie Ann did some teaching, and Werner worked in financial matters. Following this, Werner worked with Mennonite World Conference on a part-time basis. After their return from India, Werner worked again as an interim pastor, this time returning to College Community Church in Clovis, California. Werner and Elsie Ann continued to be a part of this congregation until the fall of 2013

Werner and Elsie Ann returned to San Jose in early September of 2013, to be closer to their children and grandchildren. Here Werner lost Elsie Ann when she died suddenly in March of 2014. Werner remained in San Jose until his death November 4, 2020.

Werner was predeceased in death by his wife Elsie Ann Bartel Kroeker. He is survived by his children Steven Kroeker, Karen Kroeker, Janet Kroeker and Rhonda Kunkel

and her husband Brad; grandchildren, Cecelia Kroeker, Evelyn and her husband Robin Park-Doob, Nathaniel Kroeker and his wife Anna, Juliet Kunkel and Peter Kunkel; great-granddaughters, Elodie Park-Doob and Adeline Kroeker. He also leaves a sister Elvira and her husband David Plett, a brother Orlando and wife Rosita Kroeker, along with two sisters-in-law, four brothers-in-law and their spouses. In addition he leaves many nieces, nephews, and cousins.

One of Werner's lifelong passions has been making sure that children and families don't go hungry. With this in mind, any GIFTS in memoriam may be given directly to Mennonite Central Committee, (21 South 12th Street, PO Box 500, Akron,PA 17501-0500), or other organizations, international or local that you have a personal connection to. Local food banks are feeding more hungry people than ever this year. If you need suggestions, or if you have questions, please reach out to any family member.