Robert Eugene Krause

Bob grew up in a small Missouri town. The school was so small that the lines on the basketball court were practically on the wall. The family lived over a florist’s shop for many years. He has an older sister, Sharon. He enjoyed their weekend conversations for many years. Their maternal grandmother grew up on a farm and attended a one-room schoolhouse. She rode her horse to school and it went home, returning on its own to take her home at the appropriate time. Mom died when he was a teenager. Dad was a hard-working mechanic who loved baseball. He was involved w/ their small town baseball league, mowing the field w/ a tractor. This man of modest means respectfully approached the bank for team uniform money and received it.

Bob enjoyed books - world history, the U.S. Civil War, WW II in the Pacific and the U.S. space program. He enjoyed good films and F-1 racing. One of his greatest loves was travel, especially in Europe, where he was fortunate enough to be stationed a few times. In his bachelor days he would go with a group of like-minded coworkers as well as large organized tours. The exposure to nearby countries and cultures enriched his life. Bob thoroughly enjoyed walking and hiking, especially in mountainous areas. We climbed many a path in the beautiful Alps then feasted on delicious humble meals as our reward. We walked our neighborhood for decades and met some good people.

Bob had a gentle sense of humor. It was our habit to change clothes and walk as soon as we were home from work. One year he forgot our anniversary, a first. I casually mentioned it during our walk. He apologized. Seconds later he asked how many years - six. He thought a moment and said “Do you know how much that is in dog years…” and grinned. That was his essence.