Susan Ruth Krause

Susan Krause of Reata Glen passed away on November 20, 2023, at the age of 83. Sue was born on February 25, 1940, in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, where she grew up. She met Kurth on the student train coming out for the University of Wisconsin 1960 Rose Bowl. Their first date was Disneyland.

One year later, Sue became the First Lady of Kurth’s fraternity. They were engaged after Sue received her bachelor’s degree in occupational therapy. They were married one year later on June 15, 1963. Sue began employment as an OTR when she completed her internship. She employed her skills to treat mentally ill children in a pilot program at Milwaukee County General Hospital.

Two years later she left the profession to begin a family as a stay-at-home mom. Scott was born June 9, 1965, in Milwaukee. They moved to Boston Massachusetts when Kurth accepted a position to work on the Apollo program at MIT. Their second child, Sheryl, was born in Lynn, Massachusetts March 31, 1967.

In September they moved to Houston, where Kurth supported the Apollo program for the next eight years. Sue made lifelong friends with wives of the Apollo astronauts. Using her art minor, she became a professional artist, specializing in limited edition, hand-pulled etchings. Ultimately, her work was featured in eleven galleries across the USA. She published a featured article in a national fine arts magazine for graphic artists.

They moved to Costa Mesa, California in 1975. Sue served as a deacon at St. Andrews Presbyterian Church. She led a committee, called Four Score and More, to provide an annual luncheon for the church’s 400 octogenarians. In the 1980s Sue joined the Board of Directors for the annual fashion show at Children’s Hospital of Orange County, which she chaired. She was a member of the Las Alegres woman’s group in Costa Mesa. Sue was president of the professionally juried Art-A-Fair in Laguna Beach as well the Costa Mesa Art League. In 1997 Sue returned to her profession as an occupational therapist serving nursing homes in Southern California until her retirement in 2001. They moved to their Reata Glen retirement community in 2019.

Sue loved to play golf, which she did for 68 years, and to travel. They obtained their passports when the children were in college and began the many adventures that Sue loved. She and Kurth sailed on 44 cruises and visited 99 countries. Her favorites were Japan, Israel, United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Singapore, Kenya, the Seychelles, Easter Island, and the Tahitian Islands.

Sue was a loving, devoted wife of 60 years, a dedicated mother, and a proud grandmother, deeply loved by all. She had countless wonderful friends. We will all miss her caring demeanor, love for life and for Jesus, and her winning smile.

Sue’s Family

Husband: Kurth Krause

Son: Scott Krause and his wife Pam

Daughter: Sheryl Gildea and her husband Sean

Grandchildren:

Rachel Krause and Karissa Krause

Taylor Gildea Odish (husband Silver Odish) and Griffin Gildea

Sister:

Sandra Buser