Eldon "Al" Kuder

Eldon "Al" Kuder, of Woodbury, MN, unexpectedly passed peacefully surrounded by family on September 24, 2023 at the age of 72.

A visitation to celebrate Al's life will be held on Sunday, October 22, from 4-8 p.m. at Kok Funeral Home in Cottage Grove, MN. The Memorial Service will be at 11 am on Monday, October 23, also at the funeral home with visitation one hour prior. Following the service, Al will be interred at Fort Snelling Cemetery with full military honors. 

He was born on October 20, 1950, in Vinita, Oklahoma, to his parents, Charles and Nola (Hagebusch) Kuder. Remarkable achievements and deep connections with family, friends, and community marked Al's life.  

Al's lifelong love for cars ignited at a young age. He eagerly accompanied his brother-in-law, Clarney to his auto repair shop, where his passion for cars began. His formative years in Alexandria, South Dakota, included playing basketball and working at his sister's local café. Al was a proud graduate of Alexandria High School in 1968. 

After high school, Al enlisted in the US Navy, dedicating 20 years to his country and retiring with the highest enlisted rank of E9: Command Master Chief (Master Chief Petty Officer). His naval career included service on the USS Carpenter, USS Benjamin Stoddert, and the USS AJAX, also being stationed at Fort Snelling, The Great Lakes, and ending in Aurora, Colorado. His humble nature belied his numerous medals, awards, and honors earned during his distinguished service, including a Meritorious Service Medal. 

In Hawaii, Al met the love of his life, Kathy, and their whirlwind, 3-month romance led to a 52-year marriage. After a brief stay in San Diego, they settled in the Twin Cities, raising their two children, Kelly Grundhauser of Cottage Grove, MN, and Kevin of San Marcos, CA. 

Following his first departure from the Navy, Al found success at Dominium Management. Later, his love of the Navy brought him back; he retired in 1994. He then founded his own concrete resurfacing company, Classic Surfaces Inc. As a lifelong car enthusiast, he ended his professional career as an auto parts courier, always wearing a smile that everyone knew him for. 

Al was known for his dedication to helping others. He embodied the community spirit, often lending a hand to family, friends, and neighbors. Most notably, he would spend many a late night in the garage fixing the cars of all those he knew and loved. His well-manicured yard reflected his love for the outdoors and all who knew him, knew he was ever-ready to assist with various projects, showing his selfless nature.  

Al's love extended to his animals, and in heaven, he is undoubtedly surrounded by a pack of dogs and a cat who adored him. His dogs, including Tippy, Tina, Tammy, Holly, Angel, Brandi, Maggie, Sophie, and the cat Patches, felt his love deeply.  

A passionate sports fan, Al cheered on the Minnesota Vikings, The Timberwolves, Twins, Gophers and loved his Boxing and NASCAR. He was often seen cruising in his 1965 Mustang and then his beloved 1967 GTO; he enjoyed a game of basketball whenever he could, tossing the football, a round of golf, racing go-karts, and playing a good game of bags. 

He was known for making friends wherever he went, including in recent years the staff at Walgreens, Wayback, Applebee’s, Keys and McDonald's who knew him by name and had affectionate nicknames for him.  

In addition to his many interests, Al was a devoted husband, father, and grandfather. He cherished family traditions and the joy of spending time together. His memory will be deeply missed by all who had the privilege of knowing him. 

On behalf of the entire Kuder family, we express our heartfelt appreciation for the love, care, and respect provided by the Woodwinds Hospital staff to Al and family. 

Al was preceded in death by his parents, Charles and Nola (Hagebusch) Kuder; siblings, Delia (Clarney) Steilen, Delores (Elmer) Klink, Shirley (Mel) Nelson, Maudene (Don) Hohbach, Helen (Bill) Tietz, and Donnie Kuder; Father and Mother-in-lawn law, Art (Lenore) Johnson; brothers-in-law, Tom Johnson, Jerry Damon, Larry Praml and Bob Johnson. 

He is survived by his wife, Kathryn “Kathy” Kuder; daughter, Kelly (Donald) Grundhauser, son, Kevin (Christina); four cherished grandchildren, Nicholas, Jacob, Kinley, and Everett; siblings, Lloyd (Kay) Kuder, Linda Kuder, Carolyn Damon, Charlene (Charles) Reinhart, Roger (Sharon) McVay, Judi Johnson, MaryEllen Praml, Pat (Dan) Mastell; and many nieces and nephews. 

In memory of Al's rich and fulfilling life, his family encourages everyone to cherish their loved ones, be kind to animals, and continue his legacy of community spirit and selflessness. 

In remembrance of Al, the family would prefer memorials in lieu of flowers.

LIVESTREAM INFORMATION:  For those who would like to participate in the service via livestream, you can watch the service by scrolling to the bottom of this page and click “PLAY" to begin.  Please leave a message of support on our Tribute Wall to let the family know you were able to watch the service.  If you are having trouble with the Livestream, the service will be available to watch later in the day.