Beatrice Kruse, 80, passed away peacefully on Sunday, July 21, 2024, at her residence in St Hilaire, MN after a 2 ½ year battle with ALS.
Memorial Mass for Bea will be held 11:00 am on Thursday, August 1, 2024 at St. Bernard’s Catholic Church in Thief River Falls, MN with Father Rick Lambert officiating. Burial will be held at a later date at Community Cemetery near St. Hilaire, MN. Visitation will be held one hour prior to the service at the church on Thursday.
Beatrice Marie Dargon was born July 21, 1944, in Thief River Falls, MN daughter of the late Rayton and Lonie (Gaber) Dargon. Prior to attending school, Bea spent some of her time staying with her uncle Ed and aunt Tray Gaber. When she began school, she lived with Ed and Tray until she moved back to the family farm in 7th grade. She attended country school through the 6th grade and then attended school in Thief River Falls, graduating from Lincoln High School in the class of 1962.
On July 27, 1963, she was united in marriage to Larry Kruse at St. Dorothy Catholic Church in Dorothy, MN. They made their home in Thief River Falls until moving to St. Hilaire, MN where they have since resided.
Bea worked at Bostwick’s her Junior year of High School and continued until her marriage to Larry. She also worked as a realtor for a short time. She and Larry owned and operated Elcerito’s Bar and Café in St. Hilaire where she bartended, waitressed and managed the business. In 1984 she and Larry built the Kruse In Convenience store and Kruse Self Storage in St. Hilaire which they owned and operated until her passing in addition to several rental houses she and Larry managed through the years.
Bea loved flowers and most days during the summer you would find her tending to her beautiful gardens. She also enjoyed traveling with family and friends. Travels which took her to Europe three times. She was an avid shopper and loved going out to eat during her shopping trips. Her choices in clothing and jewelry were always stylish. Bea was a member of the Homemakers Club and Snowmobiling Club for many years. She enjoyed many snowmobile rides and later in life spending winters in Arizona where she and Larry rode razor in the desert. Most of all she loved and cherished the time spent with family, especially her grandchildren and great grandchildren.
Bea is survived by her son Todd (Alecia) Kruse; grandchildren, Lacey (Guy) Jarboe, Tony (Kierah) Jenson, Trevor Jenson, Jacob (Tyrah) Jenson, Ashleigh Kruse, Kaitlyn Kruse, Madisyn Kruse; great-grandchildren Josephine, Lillian, Annalyse, Janiya, Julius, Micah, Rozaliya, Emerson, Joseph and Everleigh; siblings Janet Vasek of East Grand Forks, MN, Gary Dargon of St. Hilaire, MN, Duane (Vicki) Dargon formerly of Red Lake Falls, MN, Karen (Allan) Young of St. Hilaire, MN, Kathy Sorrels of St. Hilaire, MN, Brenda (Richard) Schmitz of Red Lake Falls, MN; along with many nieces and nephews.
Bea is preceded in death by her husband Larry, daughter Kris (John) Jenson, parents Rayton and Lonie, grandchildren Matthew Alan Kruse, Nathanial James Kruse; brothers Rayton Jr. Dargon, John Dargon.
Condolences may be sent at www.johnsonfuneralservice.com
# Beatrice Kruse, #