Obituary of Ernst G. Krause

Ernst G. Krause, Age 90, of Spencer, passed away on Friday, April 19, 2013 at Ministry Saint Joseph’s Hospital in Marshfield surrounded by his loving family. His funeral service will be held at 2PM on Tuesday, April 23, 2013 at Trinity Lutheran Church in Spencer. The Rev. David M. DePaoli will officiate. Burial will follow in Trinity Lutheran Cemetery in the town of Brighton. Visitation will be held Monday from 4PM until 8PM at Life Tributes Funeral Home in Spencer and again on Tuesday at the church in Spencer from 1PM until time of services. Ernst’s eleven grandsons will serve as pallbearers. Ernie was born July 1, 1922 in Spencer, son of the late Robert and Mildred (Matter) Krause. He attended Trinity Lutheran School later graduating from Spencer High School. On May 10, 1947 he married Berdeanne Jean Schultz at Trinity Lutheran Church in Spencer. She passed away January 16, 1990. Ernie later married Shirley N. Tischendorf on June 27, 1992 at Saint Louis Catholic Church in Dorchester. She preceded Ernie in death on November 23, 2012. Employment included a couple of years of working at Smith Cartage, Inc., a moving company in the area but was engaged mostly in the hard and dedicated work of being a dairy farmer. Hobbies included going polka dancing, tinkering and fixing things around the farm and working in the woods. He enjoyed getting family together to play cards, especially sheephead and collecting windmills. Ernie’s children remember their dad’s strong work ethic and how he instilled that in each of them. They can still hear him saying “If you start something finish it, don’t’ leave it undone”. He was a member of Trinity Lutheran Church in Spencer. Survivors include his children: Nancy (Robert) Genack of Brookfield; Linda Reich of Spencer; James (Jane) Krause of Spencer; Dennis Krause of Spencer; Kathy (Kim) Rice of Marshfield; Susan (James) Kleinschmidt of Spencer; Wilbur (Annette) Krause of Spencer; Randy (Carol) Krause of Spencer; his step-children: Mary (John) Redd of Florida; Nancy (David) Jenks of Florida; Joanne (Butch) Firnstahl of Medford; Edward (Kathy) Graff of Stetsonville; Daniel (Barbara) Graff of Stetsonville; Sarah (Tom) Sestito of Florida; John (Maureen) Graff of Stetsonville and Timothy Graff of Dorchester; 24 grandchildren; 24 great grandchildren; 20 step grandchildren; 22 step great grandchildren and one sister, Marjorie Krause of Spencer. Ernie was preceded in death by his parents; his first wife Berdeanne, his second wife Shirley; one sister Vila Krause and one brother Franklin Krause. Memorials in Ernie’s name are being accepted to either Taylor County Commission on Aging-Stetsonville or Trinity Lutheran Church in Spencer. Visit www.lifetributesfuneralhome.com to share thoughts and condolences.