Jean Kaye Battle Krause, 94, passed away Monday, September 20, 2021, at her home in Dallas, Texas. She was born March 25, 1927, to Dwight Lyman Moody Battle, son of an itinerant Methodist pastor in North Carolina, and Anna Delilah Kaye Battle, a nurse in WWI. She was baptized at Holy Trinity Episcopal Church in Greenport Long Island, New York, graduated from Central High School in Charlotte, North Carolina, and attended Queens College in Charlotte. On October 4, 1946, she married the love of her life, Wilbert Eugene Krause, who predeceased her after 57 years of marriage.
Survivors include: her beloved sister Dina Battle McDonald of Dallas; sons David Krause and wife Cynthia S. Wilson Krause of Dallas, Edward (Eddie) Krause and wife Jody Landis Krause of O’Fallon; her five grandchildren Jeanine Krause, Paul Krause and wife Danielle, Kristin Krause, Trey Krause and wife Kya, Abigail Wilson Burns and husband Daniel; four great-grandsons David Louis Krause, Nathan Krause, Isaac Mueller-Laupert and Matthew Krause; and one great-granddaughter Delilah Grace Krause. Other survivors include her niece, Karen Bell Adams and husband Ron, nephews Mike Bell and wife Barbara, Tiberius Vadan and wife Elena, and much-loved Barbara Hoelmer Krause and Linda McCallum Ness. Jean was preceded in death by sister Betty Ann Bell, nephew Tony McDonald and brothers-in-law James McDonald and James Bell.
One aspect of Jean's ministry was that of support to husband, Willy, in his Lutheran teaching responsibilities in Charlotte, Chicago, Knoxville and finally at Zion Lutheran School in Dallas (1961-1988). Her other ministries included that of mother, grandmother, great-grandmother and 60 years as a faithful volunteer and active member of Zion Lutheran Church in Dallas.
One 60-year friend, Jim Pedersen, said of Jean: "Her loving, optimistic, joyful and happy outlook always drew me in. I could see all those things in her voice and smile. Folks with those characteristics are harder to find these days."
Jean was always attuned to the daily routines that concerned and sustained her. Yet on one point she was fearless, focused and certain: her eternal gift of life in Christ, which she anticipated as her sole hope in this life and the next.
