Donna Mae Kruse was born on February 10, 1943, in Hartington, Nebraska to Hugo and Leona (Rupiper) Kathol and passed away on July 8, 2023, in Lincoln, Nebraska at the age of 80 years,  4 months and 28 days.

Donna grew up in Hartington where she attended and graduated from Hartington Cedar Catholic with the Class of 1961. She worked at Mutual of Omaha from August 1961 until March of 1963. Donna was united in marriage to John Kruse on April 20, 1964, at Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Hartington. The couple lived in several places while John taught school, including New Market, Iowa from August of 1964 until May of 1967, Emerson, Iowa from June 1967 until May of 1970, Pocahontas, Iowa from August 1970 until May of 1981 and then moved to O'Neill, Nebraska from August 1981 until his retirement. John and Donna moved to Seward to be closer to family. While in O'Neill, Donna worked at The Townhouse Motel from 1981 until 1984. She then ran her own daycare until 1998, later working in the lunchroom at St. Mary's until retiring in 2008.

Donna loved quilting, sewing, working in the garden, baking, painting and drawing, which she was exceptional at. She enjoyed playing cards, traveling, camping and she also did Meals on Wheels for years. She was a member of St. Patrick's Catholic Church in O'Neill, she also served on the Altar Society, Catholic Daughters, and served as the president of and ran the Boyd - Holt Right to Life program.

She was preceded in death by her parents: Hugo and Leona Kathol: sister, Geralda Gardner, and brother-in-law: Dick Steffen.

Those cherishing Donna's memory include her husband: John, Seward: six children: David Kruse, Keene, NH, Jacqueline Copeland and husband Rick, Fairport, NY, Dale Kruse and wife Cheryl, Lincoln, NE, Dennis Kruse and wife Michelle, Lincoln, NE, Jason Kruse and wife Jorina, Sioux Falls, SD, Justin Kruse and wife Audrey, Lincoln, NE, 11 grandchildren: Chelsey, Taylor, April, Sean, Liam, Emalyn, Graydon, Owen, Jake, Alexa and Jordan, brothers and sisters: Kenneth Kathol and wife Linda, Charleen Hausman and husband Clair, Arlyce Thoene and husband Jerome, Carol Brown and husband Wayne, Joan Steffen, Janelle Winters and husband Curt, and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins. To this obituary we add our thoughts, prayers and memories of a life shared with Donna.

Visitation will be held Friday, July 14, 2023, from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Hartington with Rosary at 7:00 p.m. Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, July 15, 2023, at Holy Trinity Catholic Church with Father Owen Korte Celebrating Mass. Graveside and Interment will follow at St. Michael's Catholic Cemetery in Hartington. Memorial contributions may be made to Children's Hospital NICU or Foundation.