My mother passed away this afternoon at 12:27. Here is her obituary:
Thelma Marie Kruse, 83, Olathe, KS, passed away Saturday, October 9, 2010, at her home, following a year-long battle with pancreatic cancer. Marie was born in Oklahoma City, March 12, 1927, the only child of Novey and Nola (Yates) Halford. She grew up in eastern Oklahoma, graduating from Ada High School in 1944. She attended Southern Nazarene University (then Bethany-Peniel Nazarene College) where she met Carl William Kruse. Marie and Carl were married in Ada, OK, September 1, 1949. They reared four children, primarily in Bartlesville, OK, and Olathe, KS. As the children grew older, Marie worked in a physician’s office and as a real estate agent. She also was active in the American Business Women’s Association. Marie and Carl moved to Champaign, IL, in 1977, where she briefly operated a used bookstore. They retired to Olathe in 1995 to be near family. Marie was an active member of every church she joined. For the last fifteen years she was a member of Christ Community Church of the Nazarene in Olathe where she was a small group leader. All through her life Marie enjoyed reading, and working in her flower gardens. Her proudest achievement was the four children she raised. She will be deeply missed by her family and friends.
Marie is survived by her husband of 61 years, Carl William Kruse; daughter Sandra Kruse-Smith and her husband Ron Smith of Leawood, KS; daughter Kathy Kruse of Olathe, KS; son Jim Kruse and his wife Rosa of Houston, TX; Michael Kruse and his wife Melissa of Kansas City, MO; four grandchildren and four great grandchildren. Visitation will be 6-8 p.m., October 11, 2010, at Penwell-Gabel Funeral Home at 14275 Blackbob Rd. in Olathe, KS, 66062. The funeral will be at 10:00 a.m., October 12, at Penwell-Gabel. In lieu of flowers the family requests contributions to OMC Hospice House (Olathe, KS), My Father’s House (Paola, KS) or Gideons International.
My dad went into the hospital Tuesday with walking pneumonia. My sister Kathy and I were at the hospital this morning getting his release in order. We got a call that my Mother's breathing was changing so we requested help at speeding up his paperwork. Olathe Medical Center was very helpful. My dad got home just after noon. The family was all there except my brother and we had a CD of hymns had recorded playing on the player. She opened her eyes and seemed recognize us and then she was gone. It was very special.
Here are a few pics. This is her at age 5:
The wedding in 1949:
This one is about 1950:
From 1959:
From the early 1980s:
Mother and Dad in Beijing, China, in 1997:
On their 60th wedding aniversary last year:
The family together two months ago:
Rev 21:1-6
Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying,
"See, the home of God is among mortals.
He will dwell with them;
they will be his peoples,
and God himself will be with them;
he will wipe every tear from their eyes.
Death will be no more;
mourning and crying and pain will be no more,
for the first things have passed away."
And the one who was seated on the throne said, "See, I am making all things new." Also he said, "Write this, for these words are trustworthy and true."
Amen.
