Jerry “Joe” Krause, age 73, of Clear Lake, passed away Friday, Dec. 26, 2014, in the Golden Living Center in Watertown.
Funeral service will be at 2 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 1 in the Trinity Lutheran Church, Clear Lake.
Burial will be in the Lakeview Cemetery, Clear Lake.
Visitation will be from 5 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 31 at the Houseman Funeral Home in Clear Lake. Condolences may be left at: www.birkfuneralhome.com.
Jerry Joe Krause was born on Jan. 27, 1941, in Deuel County to Marvin and Henrietta (Koenders) Krause. He grew up in the Havana and Hidewood Townships where he attended rural school. He then attended Clear Lake High School, graduating in 1959.
On July 20, 1961, Joe was united in marriage to Joyce Goens at Dempster. They made their home in Dell Rapids, where Joe worked as a farm hand. While there, a son Jeff was born. In 1963, they moved back to the Clear Lake area and began farming on their own and at this time a daughter Jan and a son Jim were born. In 1995, he began working for several area farmers. Joe passed away on Friday, Dec. 26, 2014, in the Golden Living Center in Watertown at the age of 73 years, 10 months and 30 days.
He was a life-long member of the Trinity Lutheran Church in Clear Lake. Joe loved horses, playing cards, playing tricks on his children and grandchildren and especially loved to dance.
Left to share his memory are his wife of 53 years, Joyce Krause; three children, seven grandchildren, one stepgrandchild and three great-grandchildren, Jeff of Clear Lake, Amy (fiancée Pat), Amanda and Dustin, all of Sioux Falls, Jan (John) Hall, Jayson (Kelsey) Jayslin and Kash, Jena (fiancee Steven), all of Clear Lake; Jim (Vicki), Roxy, Ariyanna, Kelsey and Bradley, all of Minnesota; brothers, Ron (Esther) Krause, Clear Lake and Doug (Deb) Krause, Colorado; and sisters, Marj (Loren) Schleuter, Estelline and Kathleen Haskamp of Minnesota.
Joe was preceded in death by his parents and one brother Larry Krause.