Stu Krause

Stuart Krause of Ottertail, MN and Mesa, AZ, passed away unexpectedly of natural causes in Mesa on Sunday, April 6, 2008. Stuart was born in Rush City, on October 13, 1919 to Carl and Cecilia Krause. The family moved to Hankinson, ND in 1920 where Carl and Cecilia's sister, Elizabeth Soderquist, owned and operated Krause Drug. In 1929 the family moved again to Wadena. Carl and Elizabeth bought a drugstore which they also named Krause Drug. It was later renamed "Krause Drug and Gift Gallery" until it closed in 2004. Stuart known to all his friends and family as "Stu" attended St. Ann's grade school through 8th grade and graduated from Wadena High School in 1938. He was a member of St. Ann's Catholic Church for 65 years, a member of the Knights of Columbus, and was a devout Catholic his entire life. In 1946 Stu married Okie Prall, his best friend and love of his life for almost 62 years. They wintered in Mesa for 22 years. In 1994 they moved their Minnesota residence to Ottertail where Stu enjoyed feeding the ducks, orioles, and hummingbirds. He loved fishing, golfing, duck and goose hunting in ND, and grouse hunting and picnics near the Crow Wing and Shell Rivers. Stu will be remembered as a kind and generous and caring man who loved the time spent with his wife, his children, and other family members. He did everything with intention. He treated people with respect in his home, his work place and everywhere in between. He enjoyed all things around him and his phone calls with family always ended with "I love you". In 1940 a high school buddy, Gene Holz, encouraged Stu to join the National Guards and on November 11th, the morning of the Armistice Day blizzard, he drove to Moorhead to enlist. They parked the car in Fargo and walked through the blizzard across the Red River bridge to the Moorhead Armory. Stu was called to active duty in February, 1941. Shortly after the attack on Pearl Harbor he manned an anti-aircraft battery overlooking the San Francisco Bay. His tour of duty included North Africa, Sicily, Sardinia, and France. He spent 3 years and 10 months overseas and was honorably discharged in 1945 with the rank of First Sargent. Stu was a permanent member of the Disabled American Veterans, a member of the American Legion, and a lifetime member of the VFW. After the war he returned to Wadena and became his father's partner in Krause Drug. He is survived by his wife, Okie; daughter, Josie (Curt) Cimbura of Wahpeton, ND; sons, Dave (Dusty) of Hewitt; Chuck (Darla) of Wadena, Dr. Jim (Laura) of Charleston, SC; five grandchildren, Jorma (Brenda) Krause, Rozzi and Mac Cimbura, Emily and Eric Krause; 2 great-grandchildren, Natalie and Alyssa Krause; sister, Jeanne (John) Cumming of Superior, WI; brothers, Chet (Rosie) of Scottsdale, AZ, Warren of Palm Bay, FL, Ray (Vonnie) of Madison Lake, Ken (Mary) of Wadena, and Joe (Cathy) of Bloomington, IL. Stu was preceded in death by his parents and brother, Howard. Pallbearers will be Stu's grandsons, Jorma Krause, Mac Cimbura, and Eric Krause, and good friends, Jessie Erickson, Jack Krogman, Kyle Massey, and Bernie Pavek. Visitation will be held on Friday from 5:00-7:00PM at Johnson Memorial Home in Wadena. The Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11:00 AM on Saturday, April 19, 2008 at St. Ann's Catholic Church with Father Donald Wagner as celebrant. Interment will be at Calvary Cemetery in Wadena.

Stu Krause

October 13, 1919 - April 6, 2008