Robert Kruse

ROBERT KRUSE…
was born to Louis and Henrietta (Wolf) Kruse on May 1, 1941 on a farm near Little Rock, Iowa. In 1942, he moved with his family to a farm near Melvin, Iowa, where he was raised and attended school until the age of 13. In 1955, the family moved back to Little Rock to the same family farm where he was born. There he helped his father and brothers farm and attended country school until the age of 15. He farmed with his Dad until the age of 22 at which point Bob was drafted into the U.S. Army. His basic training commenced in November, 1963 at Fort Leonard Wood (Little Korea), Missouri. Bob loved army life and his years of hard work and discipline working with his father benefitted him greatly. He was an avid gun enthusiast and received recognition and a medal for his excellent sharpshooting skills. After basic training, he attended the Southeastern Signal School at Fort Gordon, Georgia. While stationed at Fort Gordon, he was united in marriage to his girl from back home -- Donna Mae Lamfers. Following completion of his training and receipt of his high school diploma, Bob was stationed in Germany arriving at Headquarters Battalion 2nd Missile Battery 50th Artillery. Following an honorable discharge, Bob returned to his wife and family and took up on the farm where he left off.
Bob and Donna farmed near Beaver Creek, Minnesota, finally settling for 22 years near Hatfield, Minnesota. There they raised their five children, four girls and a boy, until retiring from farming in the late 1980s. They moved their family to Pipestone, Minnesota where Bob worked in Housekeeping at the Good Samaritan Home and Pipestone County Medical Center for 17 years until his retirement in 2008.
Bob loved his family and grandchildren very much. He was very well read and he was fascinated with history, especially military history and history of the old American West. Every year Bob would take his family out west camping to Yellowstone Park, Glacier Park and many other destinations. He was an excellent handyman and could often be found fixing on this or that friend or family members’ cars. He had a vast knowledge of history and mechanics and life in general and enjoyed sharing all of it with the children, grandchildren, nieces, nephews, grandnieces and nephews -- all of whom he deeply loved.
Bob died unexpectedly of heart failure on Sunday, January 15, 2012, at the age of 70 years, eight months and 14 days.
Bob is lovingly remembered by five children, Becky and her husband Keven Faaborg of Ward, South Dakota, Linette and her husband Jeff Eischens of Pipestone, Minnesota, Shelly and her husband John Haack of Jasper, Minnesota, Robert “Rob” D. Kruse of Pipestone, Minnesota, and Debra and her husband Ivan VanSurksum of Jasper, Minnesota; eight grandchildren; two brothers, Jim and his wife Lorenza Kruse of Jasper, Minnesota and Louis “Gene” Kruse of Hardwick, Minnesota. He was preceded in death by his parents.