Services for Christine E. Kruse, 85 of Fort Calhoun, who died August 10, 1995 were Saturday, August 12 at the Fort Calhoun Presbyterian Church in Fort Calhoun. Burial was in the Fort Calhoun Cemetery.

Christine Elizabeth Steyer Kruse was born November, 7, 1909 to William and Mary Mortensen Steyer on what was known as the Rix farm south of Fort Calhoun. She began her schooling at Fort Calhoun, but finished her first eight grades of education at Fairview District in Douglas County. She graduated from Central High in Omaha in 1926.

Her teaching certificate was earned at the University of Omaha two years later. She returned to Fairview School where she served as teacher for five years.

She married Waldo M Kruse of Fort Calhoun June 21, 1933. They farmed in Douglas and Washington counties, eventually settling on their farm in DeSoto where they have resided since 1938.

She was active in her church and served as an elder, deacon, clerk of session Sunday School teacher and youth leader. She and Waldo were also one of the founding couples of the Mariners Club and she was also a member of the United Presbyterian Women and quilted with the church’s quilting group.

She was a member of the Fort Calhoun Women’s Club, Washington County Extension Club, Blair Memorial Community Hospital Auxiliary and did volunteer work at Good Shepherd Lutheran Home. She was also a past member of the Swaissa Chapter of the Order of Eastern Star.

She was preceded in death by her parents; an infant brother, Willie; a brother, Harold; a sister-in-law, Evelyn Steyer and a son-in-law, John Hermelbracht.

She is survived by her husband, Waldo M., Fort Calhoun; a daughter and son-in-law, Elizabeth (Betty) and William Anderson, Ann Arbor, Michigan; a son and daughter-in-law, Richard W. and Evelyn, Fort Calhoun; a daughter, Charlotte Hermelbracht, Bancroft, Nebraska; eight grand-children, Anne Anderson, Minneapolis, Minnesota; Ellen Anderson, San Francisco, California and Glen and his wife, Simone of Palo Alto, California; Jay Kruse, Champaigne, Illinois; Jodie Kruse, Atlanta, Georgia and Janet and her husband, Dan Sellon of Omaha; Steven Hermelbracht, Bancroft and Jim Hermelbracht, Muncie, Indiana; one great-grandchild, Dale Anderson; brothers and sisters-in-law, Ralph and Frances Steyer, Blair; Morton and Barbara Steyer, Omaha; a sister and brother-in-law, Olga “Dolly” and Edward Lorenzen, Blair; a sister-in-law, Martha Steyer, Omaha; many nieces and nephews.

Memorials are suggested to the Fort Calhoun Presbyterian Church.

Sievers-Sprick Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.

~~~ Obituary courtesy of the Washington County Genealogical Society. Newspaper clippings on file in the Blair Public Library at Blair, Nebraska.~~~