Donna Mae Kruse was born Feb. 10, 1943, in Hartington, to Hugo and Leona (Rupiper) Kathol and passed away July 8, 2023, in Lincoln, at the age of 80 years, 4 months and 28 days.
Donna grew up in Hartington, where she attended and graduated from Hartington Cedar Catholic with the Class of 1961. She worked at Mutual of Omaha from August 1961 until March 1963. Donna was united in marriage to John Kruse on April 20, 1964, at Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Hartington. The couple lived in several places while John taught school, including New Market, Iowa, from August 1964 until May 1967, Emerson, Iowa, from June 1967 until May 1970, Pocahontas, Iowa, from August 1970 until May 1981 and then moved to O’Neill, from August 1981 until his retirement. John and Donna moved to Seward to be closer to family. While in O’Neill, Donna worked at The Townhouse Motel from 1981 until 1984. She then ran her own day care until 1998, later working in the lunchroom at St. Mary’s until retiring in 2008.
Donna loved quilting, sewing, working the garden, baking, painting and drawing, which she was exceptional at. She enjoyed playing cards, traveling and she also did Meals on Wheels for years. She was a member of St. Patrick’s Catholic Church in O’Neill, she also served on the Altar Society, Catholic Daughters and served as the president of and ran the Boyd - Holt Right to Life program.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Hugo and Leona Kathol; sister, Geralda Gardner; and brother-in-law, Dick Steffen.
Those cherishing Donna’s memory include her husband, John, Seward; six children, David Kruse, Keene, New Hampshire, Jacqueline Copeland and husband Rick, Fairport, New York, Dale Kruse and wife Cheryl, Lincoln, Dennis Kruse and wife Michelle, Lincoln, Jason Kruse and wife Jorina, Sioux Falls, SouthDakota, and Justin Kruse and wife Audrey, Lincoln; 11 grandchildren, Chelsey, Taylor, April, Sean, Liam, Emalyn, Graydon, Owen, Jake, Alexa and Jordan; brothers and sisters, Kenneth Kathol and wife Linda, Charleen Hausman and husband Clair, Arlyce Thoene and husband Jerome, Carol Brown and husband Wayne, Joan Steffen, and Janelle Winters and husband Curt; and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins.
Visitation will be Friday, July 14, from 5 – 8 p.m. at Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Hartington with Rosary at 7 p.m. Mass of Christian Burial will be at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, July 15, at the church. Graveside and Interment will follow at St. Michael’s Catholic Cemetery in Hartington. Memorial contributions are suggested to Children’s Hospital NICU or Foundation. Arrangements by Zabka- Perdue Funeral Home.
