Verla M. Kruse, 95, of Hanover, KS, received her crown of life on August 15, 2024, at the Hanover Hospital.
Visitation will be Monday, August 19, from 2-8 p.m. at the Hanover Mortuary. The family will receive friends from 6-8 p.m.
A funeral service will be held at 10:30 a.m., Tuesday, August 20 at Trinity Lutheran Church, north of Hanover.
The pallbearers will be Kyle Kruse, Kent Kruse, Ryan Lovig, Eric Lovig, Chad Kruse, Dennis Kruse and Paul Kruse.
The honorary pallbearers will be Kristin Blanding, Jodi Clary, Kathryn Arvidson, Jill Williams and Jennifer Kruse.
The burial will follow in the church cemetery.
Verla was born on November 25, 1928, near Bremen, KS, to Martin and Clara (Mueller) Blanke. On December 1, 1928, she was baptized at Immanuel Lutheran Church near Bremen. She was later confirmed there on April 18, 1943. Her confirmation verse was “I tell you the truth whoever hears and believes who sent Me has eternal life.” (John 5:24)
She attended Immanuel Lutheran Parochial School and Hanover High School. In 1948, she graduated as class valedictorian. After graduating, she taught school at Immanuel Lutheran Parochial School.
On June 18, 1950, she was united in marriage to Harold Kruse at Immanuel Lutheran Church.
Verla was actively involved in all of her family’s school activities, athletics, and musical activities. In between feeding and cleaning up after a family of seven, she helped with farm work and managed/operated the dairy on the farm. Her business and management skills along with a lot of hard work by herself, Harold, and the rest of the family provided the family with an environment in which to grow and prosper.
She ensured that daily prayer and devotions along with church and Sunday School were part of the fabric of her family. She led her family in the area of religious activities by her own consistent example of Christian parenting. Verla volunteered for many activities at church and in the community. She was always ready to play a game of pinochle, and she was really good at it.
Verla created beautiful hand-quilted quilts for numerous deserving entities and for the births, graduations, and weddings of children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. At last count, she created over one hundred quilts that are treasured by the family.
She always had a large garden raising fresh vegetables for the family in the summer months and putting up fruit and canning for the winter months. Verla loved baking and was well known for her delicious homemade pies. No one could duplicate her flaky pie crusts or make a better raisin cream pie.
Verla was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Harold Kruse, on July 9, 1994; daughter, Kathleen Lovig on June 15, 2018; sister, Lorna Friedrichs on January 10, 2017; and brother, Rev. Norwood Blanke on July 11, 2022.
Survivors include her sons, Allan (Deb) Kruse, Richard Kruse and David (Donna) Kruse, all of Hanover; daughter, Laura (Bud) Kunkel, Roswell, NM; and son-in-law, Dean Lovig, Paola, KS; twelve grandchildren, Kyle (Monika) Kruse, Dr. Kristin (Keith) Blanding, Kent (Lisa) Kruse, Ryan (Jennifer) Lovig, Dr. Eric (Jena) Lovig, Chad Kruse, Jodi (Jack) Clary, Kathryn (Joshua) Arvidson, Jill (Drew) Williams, Jennifer Kruse, Dennis (fiancé Liz) Kruse, and Paul (fiancé Maddie) Kruse; and numerous great-grandchildren whom she loved dearly and enjoyed being around.
A memorial fund has been established and will be designated later. Contributions may be sent in care of the Hanover Mortuary, c/o Kinsley Mortuary, P.O. Box 147, Marysville, KS 66508.
