Donna Kruse, 91, of Forest Park, died peacefully on April 6, 2025. Born on Dec. 26, 1933 to Charles and Esther Hasse near Nashua, Minnesota, she loved farm work, but her calling was to teach others. She attended Concordia Teachers College in St. Paul, Minnesota in 1951, and her first teaching and organist job was St. Paul Lutheran Church/School in Ottawa, Canada at the age of 19. Her next teaching assignment was in Glenview, Illinois at Immanuel Lutheran School from 1954-1959. She completed her teaching degree from Concordia University River Forest in 1961.
In 1961, she was called to teach at St. John Lutheran Church/School in Forest Park, where she met the love of her life, Arthur Kruse. They were married at St. John on June 29, 1963. She put teaching on hold to raise her three children, Jill, Joel and Kim, volunteer at church and enjoy time in their garden. She returned to teaching at St. John in the fall of 1984 and retired in 1999.
She enjoyed traveling with her close friends to Europe, Hong Kong, Alaska, the Canadian Rockies and Hawaii. They became a lifeline for many of her friends, driving them to church and other events.
Her grandkids have many wonderful memories spent at Donna’s home in Forest Park, playing card games or working on arts and crafts. She entered the Forest Park Garden Walk in 2021 with Hailey and they won Best in Show.
Donna is survived by her children, Jill, Joel (Lori) Kruse, and Kim (Patrick) Rodden; her grandchildren, Alec (Alejandra), Megan (Auna), Hailey, James and Dana; her brother, David Hasse (Grace); and she was the aunt to many nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her husband, Arthur Kruse; her parents, Charles and Esther Hasse; and her sisters Janet Teegen, Nancy Perez, and Colleen Herzog.
A Celebration of Life service will be held at St. John Lutheran Church, 305 Circle Ave., Forest Park, on Saturday, May 31 with visitation at 9:30 a.m., followed by the service at 11 a.m.
Memorial donations in Donna’s name can be made to St. John Lutheran Church or the American Cancer Society.