Katherine Leona Kruse 1922 - 2018
KRUSE, NELSON, CHRISTENSEN
Posted By: Connie Swearingen- Volunteer (email)
Date: 11/14/2018 at 09:53:18
Katherine L. Kruse, age 95, of Mapleton, Iowa, passed away on Wednesday, June 13, 2018, at the Maple Heights Nursing Home of Mapleton, Iowa.
A Funeral Service will be held at 10:00 a.m., Wednesday, June 20, 2018 at the St. Peter’s United Church of Christ of Mapleton, Iowa. Pastor Karen Handke will officiate; with Committal Services following in the Jordan Township Cemetery of Soldier, Iowa. A visitation will be held from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., Tuesday, June 19, 2018 at the Armstrong - Van Houten Funeral Home of Mapleton, Iowa. The Armstrong - Van Houten Funeral Home of Mapleton, Iowa is in charge of the funeral arrangements.
Katherine L. Kruse entered her eternal home on June 13, 2018.
Katherine Leona Kruse, the daughter of Martin Sr. and Olina (Nelson) Christensen, was born August 31, 1922, on a farm west of Mapleton, IA. When Katherine was four years old she moved with her parents to a farm east of Oto, IA. She attended country school there until they moved to Mapleton in 1931. She finished the 6th and 7th grades at Mapleton Public School and then moved back to country school for the 8th grade. She graduated from Mapleton High School with the class of 1939.
On July 16, 1944, Katherine was united in marriage to Raymond W. Kruse in Coffeyville, KS. Raymond was still in the service at that time, so the couple traveled, lived in apartments, and waited for furloughs until his honorable discharge. In 1946, the couple began farming on Raymond’s dad's farm in Soldier Township then eventually moved north of Mapleton before finding their forever farm in 1951 northwest of Soldier, IA. The couple was blessed with five children: Kathleen, Norma, Raymond, John, and David.
Katherine was a homemaker and farm wife while her children were growing up. She enjoyed gardening and raising her chickens. When her children were grown, she worked as a cook at Burgess Hospital in Onawa and as a cook for the Monona County Head Start in Moorhead, IA. Katherine was a lifetime member of St. Peter’s United Church of Christ in Mapleton, was a member of the St. Peter’s UCC women’s fellowship and taught Sunday school. She was also a lifetime member of the Soldier American Legion Auxiliary.
Katherine not only loved her family and friends but showed love and kindness to all she met. She believed in passing that love on. She will be dearly missed by her family and friends.
Left to cherish her memory include 5 children: Kathleen (Donald) Johnson of Oto, IA, Norma Westerveld of Peoria, AZ, Raymond M. (Lynn) Kruse of Junction City, KS, John (Martha) Kruse of Kearney, NE and David (Kathy Jensen) Kruse of Soldier, IA; 10 grandchildren: Doug (Stephanie) Johnson of Oto, IA, Jeff (Katrina) Johnson of Oto, IA, Lt. Col. Mike (Laurel) Hinrichsen of Maryland, Bob (Jennifer) Hinrichsen of Phoenix, AZ, Terry (Rachel) Prell of Phoenix, AZ, Michelle (Danielle) Moody of Fayetteville, NC, Suzie (Patrick) Maley of Englewood, FL, Raymond (Angie) Kruse of Junction City, KS, Brian (Tory) Kruse of Madison, OH and Bonnie Kruse of North Platte, NE; 12 great-grandchildren: Teresa and Dillon Johnson, Christian and Katelyn Johnson, Jesse (Ashlyn) Hinrichsen and Morgan Hinrichsen, Jayson Morgan, Roberta “Bobbie” Hinrichsen, Brandon Prell, Amanda Patti, Avery and Carter Kruse; brother Martin (MaryAnn) Christensen of Dekalb, IL; sister Laura Fitzpatrick of Battle Creek, IA.
She was preceded in death by her parents Martin Sr. and Olina Christensen; her husband Raymond Kruse; sister Juanita Thies; brothers Norman Christensen and James Baagoe; daughter-in-law Barbara Kruse.
Monona Obituaries maintained by Linda Ziemann.
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