Okle "Okie" Krause

The Mass of Christian Burial for Okie Krause of Wadena and Ottertail, will be celebrated at 11:00 am. on Monday August 26, at St. Ann’s Catholic Church in Wadena with Father Arlie Sowada as celebrant. Visitation will be held at the church on Monday beginning at 9:30 a.m. and will continue until the time of the Mass. Interment will be Calvary Cemetery in Wadena, MN. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The service can be viewed on: Schuller Family Funeral Home's Facebook or YouTube page The servicecan be view on: Schuller Family Funeral Home's Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/people/Schuller-Family-Funeral-Homes-Cremation-Services/100063798813543/ or YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9_jZx4o7kREPtz8aSI4tEw ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ On August 19, our beloved mother, Okie Krause said her goodbyes and, in the presence of her children and other family members, began her journey to heaven, where she will be reunited with her husband of nearly 62 years, Stuart J Krause. Mom had a complete life of 99 years, full of health and vigor, hard work, and love of her family. Always friendly, generous and caring for others, she touched the hearts of all those who came to know her. Okle was born on June 11, 1925, in Hankinson North Dakota, the daughter of Warren and Okle (Umberhocker) Prall and welcomed by her sisters Aldice (Boen) and Ionzinetta (Casey). The family moved to Wadena, MN. where her father worked as Superintendent of the newly formed Wadena Light and Water Department in March of 1935. She graduated from Wadena High School in 1943 where she sang the featured song from the movie Casablanca, "As Time Goes By", as a soloist in her graduation ceremony. She moved to Oregon shortly after graduation along with her two sisters to support the war effort by working in the shipyards as a "burner", using an acetylene torch to cut 5-foot square pieces of metal, used in the construction of ships. We are proud that she was one of the many women who were unsung heroes during World War II, leaving their homes to perform dangerous jobs to support the war effort and to preserve our freedom. After the war, Okie took a job at Krause Drug where she met the love of her life, Stuart J Krause “Stu”, whom she married on July 6, 1946. They truly were inseparable, working long hours together at Krause Drug and enjoying years of family get-togethers and socializing with their many friends. They spent springtime walleye fishing in Otter Tail River, where Dad would clean the fish, Mom would take the bones out and prepare it, and the kids would do the eating. Beer batter walleye and potato salad were her specialties. They hunted grouse in the fall in the Huntersville State Forest and enjoyed having a small house and land they called "the farm" which they bought in 1973, and where they had a large garden and raised ducks and geese. They loved their time in the woods, especially in the fall, and took frequent long slow drives through the countryside. After retirement, they spent winters in Mesa, AZ living in Fountain of the Sun, where they golfed and Mom once shot a hole in one. In 1994, they traded their place in the woods for a cabin on the Otter Tail River. Here they cherished their time with family and friends, enjoying the songbirds, the flow of the river, and sitting on the porch. Those passing in boats may have noted the unusual sight of a 90-year-old woman waving a towel as she ran geese out of the yard. After Dad died in 2008 Mom continued to spend winters living alone independently - in Arizona until 2020 and summers on the Otter Tail River until 2022. She spent her last years in Humphrey Manor making many more friends prior to moving to Lakewood Care Center in Staples in June 2024. Mom will be remembered as a devout Catholic, loving mother and grandma whose family brought her great joy and occasional heartache. She spent countless hours caring for her youngest son, who had a spinal cord injury at the age of 16, and rejoiced when her oldest son had a miraculous complete recovery from two subdural hematomas (his neurosurgeon initially had given no hope of recovery). Through all life challenges, she remained a constant role model for her commitment to faith, family, and work, as well as her strength, determination, and independence. She was truly a very special person, with a kind and gentle nature, who thanked God every day for each and every blessing. She is survived by her daughter, Josie (Curt) Cimbura of Wahpeton, ND; sons, Dave (Dusty) of Hewitt; Charlie (Darla) of Wadena, Jim (Laura) of Charleston, SC; grandchildren, Jorma Krause (Sunshine), Roz Beliveau (Andrew), Mac Cimbura (LeAnn), Emily Phipps (Ben), and Eric Krause (Jarounee); 11 great grandchildren and 2 great-great grandchildren. Okie was preceded in death by her husband, Stuart; parents; two sisters; other family and countless friends. The pallbearers include her grandchildren Jorma Krause, Emily Phipps, Eric Krause and Mac Cimbura and her great-grandchildren Natalie Krause and Alyssa Krause. . In lieu of flowers, Mom wished that donations go to the St. Ann’s Parish in Wadena.

Okle "Okie" Krause

June 11, 1925 - August 19, 2024