ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Gerry Kruger is a native Virginian who now lives in Charlottesville, Virginia, where she taught high school English at Charlottesville High School for 27 years. Throughout her teaching career, students who overcame obstacles such as disabilities, poverty, and drug-infested neighborhoods inspired her to help them succeed in her classes and life. Like Charlie the goose, they showed remarkable resilience when they were given extra attention and experienced success.
She began writing about Charlie after the death of her beloved husband Fred in 2002. "Fred cared deeply about Charlie, and he always wanted me to write about the geese," she says. "After his untimely death, I was determined to grant his wish."
Gerry first read her essays to a radio audience in 2008 when WVTF, a National Public Radio station, aired them. Soon Charlie became a legend in Albemarle County and the surrounding area, she published the essays in her first book, ON KRUGER POND: Charlie's Story.
In her second book, TWO OF US: A Father-Daughter Memoir, Gerry records the last two years of her father's life. She visited him every week and heard him recount stories of his life during the Great Depression, World War II, and his career as a union leader. The more she learned about her father, the more she understood her own life.
Gerry's latest book, ON KRUGER POND: Charlie's Legacy, is a compilation of her original essays about Charlie, as well as stories of his descendants. They continue to visit Kruger Pond and enrich her life.