Elmer Louis Kruse

Elmer Louis Kruse, age 90, of Lidderdale, Iowa died at St. Anthony Regional Hospital in Carroll on Monday, February 21, 2011. Funeral services will be held at 10:30 A.M. on Thursday, February 24, 2011 at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Lidderdale with Pastor William Weiss officiating. Friends may call at the Dahn and Woodhouse Funeral Home in Carroll after 5:00 P.M. on Wednesday where there will be a prayer service held at 7:00 P.M.. The casket will be moved to the church at 8:30 A.M. on Thursday to lie in state until the time of service. Organist for the service will be Agnes Onken and soloist will be his grandson Karl Kruse. Burial will be in the Immanuel Lutheran Cemetery near Lidderdale. Casket bearers will be Elmer’s Grandchildren. Born on July 1, 1920 south of Lidderdale, Iowa, he was the son of Charles and Marie (Hanhe) Kruse. Elmer was a member of Immanuel Lutheran Church in Lidderdale where he was baptized on August 1, 1920 by Pastor Henry Schmidt and confirmed in the Lutheran Faith on June 10, 1934 by Pastor Rudolph Herrmann. He attended Immanuel Lutheran School in Lidderdale to the eighth grade and then attended and graduated from Carroll High School in 1938. He was married to Kathryn “Kay” Whinery on October 27, 1945 at the Lutheran parsonage in Auburn, Iowa with Pastor Fritz officiating. Elmer was a lifelong farmer which was truly his passion. Elmer and Kay raised their family on the Kruse family farm three miles south of Lidderdale. They received a Century Farm Award in 1980. He did custom baling and combining, and also sold seed corn and a wide variety of farm equipment. Elmer was well known for his booths at the Iowa State Fair and Spencer Fair, and his farm equipment sales. In his spare time he enjoyed fishing, playing Euchre at the Lidderdale Country Store, and collecting antique tractors and toys. Elmer served as mayor of Lidderdale from 1989 until April 30, 2007. Surviving are his four sons: Larry Kruse and his wife Dahna of Elkhorn, Nebraska, Duane Kruse and his wife Debra of Glidden, Iowa, Ronald Kruse and his wife Yanna of Yuma, Arizona, and Dean Kruse of Lidderdale, Iowa; nine grandchildren: Keri Garrison and her husband Dan of Knoxville, Iowa, Kim Kruse and his wife Melissa of Knoxville, Iowa, Nicole Kruse of Boston, Massachusetts, Brian Kruse and his wife Lisa of St. Louis, Missouri, Karl Kruse of San Diego, California, Marc Kruse of Reedsburg, Wisconsin, Brad Kruse of Burnsville, Minnesota, and Noah and Luke Kruse of Yuma, Arizona; two great grandsons: Austin and Kaden Kruse of Knoxville, Iowa; a step-great-granddaughter Michaela Pollpeter of Knoxville, Iowa; a sister Lorene Conner and her husband James of Jefferson, Iowa; and sisters-in-law: Leta Kruse of Carroll, Iowa, Norma Kruse of Ft. Collins, Colorado, and Winifred Whinery of Vancouver, Washington; and a brother-in-law Louis Grade of Carroll, Iowa. He was preceded in death by his parents, his wife Kathryn, a son Kenneth, three brothers: Lawrence, Raymond, Harold, and a sister Doris Grade.