Donna M. Kruse

Seward — Donna Mae Kruse, 80, of Seward, formerly of O'Neill, died Saturday, July 8, 2023 in Lincoln.

Visitation will be held from 5-8 p.m. on Friday, July 14, 2023 at Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Hartington with a 7 p.m. rosary.

Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, July 15, 2023 at the church in Hartington. Fr. Owen Korte will officiate.

Burial will be in the St. Michael's Catholic Cemetery in Hartington.

Memorials may be made to the Children's Hospital NICU or Foundation in Donna's name.

Zabka-Perdue Funeral Home in Seward is in charge of the arrangements.

Donna was born on Feb. 10, 1943, in Hartington to Hugo and Leona (Rupiper) Kathol.

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 of 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 of 1964 until May of 1967, Emerson, Iowa from June 1967 until May of 1970, Pocahontas, Iowa from August 1970 until May of 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, camping 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.

To this obituary her family and friends add their thoughts, prayers and memories of a life shared with Donna.

Donna is survived by her husband John of Seward: six children David Kruse of Keene, NH, Jacqueline (Rick) Copeland of Fairport, NY, Dale (Cheryl) Kruse and Dennis (Michelle) Kruse, all of Lincoln, Jason (Jorina) Kruse of Sioux Falls, SD and Justin (Audrey) Kruse of Lincoln; 11 grandchildren Chelsey, Taylor, April, Sean, Liam, Emalyn, Graydon, Owen, Jake, Alexa and Jordan; brothers and sisters: Kenneth (Linda) Kathol, Charleen (Clair) Hausman, Arlyce (Jerome) Thoene, Carol (Wayne) Brown, Joan Steffen and Janelle (Curt) Winters; and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins. 

She was preceded in death by her parents Hugo and Leona Kathol, one sister Geralda Gardner and one brother-in-law Dick Steffen.