Donna M. Kruse

Donna M. Kruse, age 86, of Decorah, IA, died Sunday, February 20, 2011 at Winneshiek Medical Center in Decorah. Funeral Services will be held at 11:00 A.M. Thursday, February 24, 2011 at First Lutheran Church in Mabel, MN with Rev. Gail Klavetter officiating. Burial will be in Mabel Cemetery in Mabel, MN. Visitation will be from 3:00-7:00 P.M. Wednesday, February 23 at Fjelstul Funeral Home in Decorah and on Thursday one hour before the service at the church. Donna Mae Kruse was born May 21, 1924 in Winneshiek County, IA, the daughter of George and Selma (Herbranson) Tollefsrud. She was baptized on June 10, 1924 at First Lutheran Church in Mabel and was confirmed on October 31, 1937 at Locust Lutheran Church. She attended rural Hesper grade school, and was a 1942 graduate of Decorah High School in Decorah. Following graduation she taught school in Springfield Township for one year and at the VanVliet School for 2 years. Donna was united in marriage to George Kruse on August 18, 1942 at Big Canoe Lutheran Church in rural Decorah. This union was blessed with four children: Robert, Gary, Lynee and Geoffrey. Donna worked alongside her husband, George on their farm north of Decorah. She had worked for a number of years in the catering department at Luther College. They were host and hostess to a Danish Foreign Exchange student, Inger Otteson for one year and in 1973 they traveled to Denmark to visit her and her family. Donna was a member of First Lutheran Church of Mabel and had been active as a former chairman of Ladies Aid, Sunday school teacher and WELCA. She was also a member of the American Legion Auxiliary and the Joan of Arc Club. She had many interests which included: Norwegian cooking, crocheting doilies, Norwegian rosemaling, sewing, flower and vegetable gardening, cake decorating, and ever the ultimate hostess to her family and friends. Donna was preceded in death by her parents: George and Selma Tollefsrud; two brothers: Truman (Beth) Tollefsrud and Gilman (Irene) Tollefsrud; two sisters: Gloria (Bernie) Lind, LuVerne (Raymond) Hegland; six brothers-in-law: Alert Lovstuen, Milton Lovstuen, Richard Kemple, Duane Halvorson, Bob Armstrong, Milo Headington. Donna is survived by her husband, George of Decorah, IA; four children: Robert (Priscilla) Kruse of Wayzata, MN, Gary (Eloise) Kruse of St. Cloud, MN, Lynee (John) Casper of Urbandale, IA, Geoffrey (Mary) Kruse of Decorah, IA; 11 grandchildren: Haley, Kerri, Christopher and Elizabeth Kruse, Tim (Heidi) Kruse, April (John) Olmscheid, Jennifer (Clive) Heke, David (Laura) Casper, Steven Casper, Kylie and Kelsey Kruse; one great-granddaughter, Adele Kathleen Casper; one brother, Charles Tollefsrud of Mabel, MN; four sisters: Margaret Kemple of Rochester, MN, Inga Halvorson of Wabasha, MN, Delores Armstrong of West Plains, MO, and Florence Headington of Decorah, IA; two sisters-in-law: Velva Lovstuen of Mabel, MN and Mila Mae Lovstuen of Decorah, IA; and by many nieces and nephews.