Why I'm Back and Home.

Grandpa opening presents

In September my grandfather passed away so I had to go home for round one of 3 out of 4 weekends this past month. I had not been home for a while, June. So it was good to be home, not the reason. After finishing my first grad school classes, I took off in the night (9pm) to meet up with my brother to drive the rest of the way. Let just say 8 hours later I have never loved home so much. We got back to home around 5am, had to be at the church at 9am, so with about 2 hours of sleep we went into the day.
It was great to see family as it had been a while (Christmas) but I also got talking with other family and friends where I was told to get back to blogging (so Jim this is for you :) and well mom)
Here are some pictures of what we did. Funerals are never fun and so it helps when you have 5 little kids wanting to do something, anything, but be inside.

Grandpa you will be dearly missed!

Wm. Randall Kruse, 84 of Albion died Sunday morning, September 4, 2011 at the Golden Living Center in Fullerton, Nebraska.

Funeral Services will be 10:30 a.m. Friday, Sept. 9, 2011 at Zion Lutheran Church with Revs. David Frerichs and Michael Kern officiating. Burial will be in the Rose Hill Cemetery with Military Rites conducted by American Legion Post #162 and V.F.W. Post #736. Visitation will be from 5-7:30 p.m. Thursday at Levander Funeral Home in Albion. Memorials are suggested to Zion Lutheran Church, St. Frances Hospice, and the Boone County Foundation.
William Randall Kruse, the son of William E. and Ruth Edna (Sherburne) Kruse was born on December 19, 1926 on a farm in the Akron Community west of Albion. He was baptized and confirmed at the Akron Presbyterian Church, and received his elementary education at Boone County school District #60. Randall continued his education at Albion High School, graduating with the class of 1944.
On Christmas Day, 1944 Randall entered the U.S. Navy, and served until his honorable discharge on July 4, 1946. On November 26, 1950 he was united in marriage to Donna Lou Hovelsrud at Zion Lutheran Church North Branch, rural Petersburg, Nebraska. They lived, farmed and raised livestock in the Akron area until 1963 when they moved 7 miles west of Albion. There they continued to farm and raise their family until moving into Albion in 1978.
Randall was a member of the Akron Presbyterian Church until joining Zion Lutheran Church where he served on the Church Council and the Building Committee of the Education Unit. He also served on the Board of Harmony Homes and PCA, and was a member of the Sons of Norway.
Surviving Randall is his wife Donna of Albion; 3 sons: Bill (Debby) of Irving, TX; Kurt (Jerene) of Albion, NE; Scott (Kim) of Dalhart, TX; Grandchildren: Jodi Owens (Christian) of Austin, TX; Stacey Hartung (Will) of Carrollton, TX; Tyler Kruse (Adrianne) of Grapevine, TX; Andrea of St. Paul, MN; Kyle of Ames, IA; Katie of Ft. Worth, TX; Alison & Matthew of Lubbock, TX and Molly of Lincoln, NE; 6 great-grandchildren: Cade & Layton Owens, Stone, Grant, Sullivan, & Meyer Kruse, along with many nieces, nephews, relatives and friends.
He was preceded in death by his parents, two brothers: Burton and Loran; three sisters: Mildred Sanders, Phyllis Nelson and Rhoda Schroeder.