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Becki Kruse posted a condolence
Friday, February 10, 2017
Posted for my daughter and her memories of many
years of fun and learning with her Grandmother..
My memories of grandma
Ice skating when my parents went bowling. Grandma would keep an eye on us while we were skating right across the road from her apartment. When we were done, she would have cookies and something warm to drink. I can still picture her apartment and her smile when we came in from ice skating.
Going camping at Kozy Oaks. We would have the same spot, you would put charcoal in a can and put liter fluid on it and cap it so it was easy to start. We would swim in the lake and we would get leeches on us. Sometimes the camper wasn’t grounded and we would open the door and get the shock of our lives. We would go to the rec center and play games. We use to ride the two-seater bike that was so fun watching you pedal with me on the sand that was all around.
And of course, there were all them garage sales. You would get so mad and frustrated. I can see you raising your arms around saying this is the last time I’m having a sale. It was so overwhelming for you. And yet the next spring or fall there would be another. You would sell your apple butter and other stuff. I really do miss all the homemade stuff you use to make. I will never have a pickled beat as good as yours. Your zucchini bread was amazing. I miss your rice hot dish that you always made me. You were such a spitfire. The strongest, most independent person I will ever know. You didn’t take crap from no one. And you always told people you were going to move to Alaska and get the heck out of here. You didn’t like drama you just wanted everyone to get along. I really admired that about you.
Then the healthy, lively, independent grandpa I knew changed. Half of him wasn’t working the way he wanted. Who was the person that stepped up to the plate and took care of him and did what she did best Grandma. She gave up her apartment and moved right in to care for him. I was fortunate to be by her side caring for him. It was during this time that I became very close to her. For four years, I spent most my time with them. Not going home, neglecting all my chores and putting them on my brothers. Thank you for that.
You were so dedicated to him and making sure he had what he needed. I remember we would get him up from bed with a Hoyer lift and put him in his wheelchair. And he made a path around the living room and dining room table, you could see his wheelchair wheels. During holidays, some of the family came and grandpa would sit at the head of the table. I still remember his smile, it wasn’t a full smile because of his stroke but it melted my heart. He really enjoyed family coming over.
Grandpa was in a wheelchair for two years. I enjoyed being there helping grandma take care of him. That is when I wanted to be a nurse so I could give the care that she did. She was so passionate and dedicated about the care she gave. The last two years of grandpa’s life he was in bed. He could not eat regular food so he was tube fed. Not once in four years did he ever have a bed sore or was not repositioned every two hours. You would even set your alarm to wake up in 2 hours to reposition him. I thought it was so cool that I was trusted to mix his fluids and start his tube feeding. Making sure everything was cleaned and sanitized. I learned so much about life and how to truly care about a loved one. We would take care of grandpa and go sit out in the living room and watch tv and 9 times out of 10 you would fall asleep. I can’t even imagine 24 hours a day 7 days a week. I was happy to let you sleep while I took care of grandpa just the way you did. I remember sitting in his room and watching John Wayne movies and westerns with him.
I would stay with you during the week day and in the evening, we would play games, Wheel of Fortune was one. For you to take care of grandpa and still have time with me was so special. We would always have a bowl of cereal before bed. You would wake me up for school and being the typical teenager I didn’t want to get up, but then I would smell the breakfast you would cook for me and I would get up. Being with you felt like home. We would talk for hours about everything, when we talked about Victor you would get sad and cry. He passed away way to soon and you were left alone. And then I would get sad, because I saw the pain in your eyes of losing the love of your life.
I remember the day that Grandpa passed away, it was thanksgiving, and it was my mom and dad, Brett and me. Brett and I were doing the dishes and I knew something was going on with Grandpa. You and my dad were in the room when he passed away. I felt cheated that I wasn’t in the room with him when he died. I was very grateful I was there when he died. I promised grandma that I would take care of her the same way she took care of Grandpa at the end.
My mom texted me on Jan. 19 and told me Grandma had not been eating. And they were going to put her in hospice. I was honored to be there the last week of her life. I fulfilled my promise to her by being with her and taking care of her at the end. She still had her sense of humor, the nurse would come in and give her the morphine and they would say her name, and then grandma would open her eye and say boo. I would come in from outside and put my hand on her arm and she would say burr. I would give her a total bath, wash her hair, change her sheets, turn her on her side and she would drift off to sleep and we would listen to old western music for hours. The night she passed away I gave her a bath, rubbed her back, washed her hair, turned her on her side, cleaned her mouth. It was just her and I, I turned down the lights, played Railroad to Heaven, held her hand and talked about Victor and how he was waiting on the other side for her and it was time to reunite with him. She was in no pain and it was very peaceful for her. The angels waited for you to join them in that great forever more. Thank you for everything you have shared and taught me. I love you.
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Abby K posted a condolence
Tuesday, January 31, 2017
Helen was such a joy to work with at GracePoint. Her feisty attitude was always accompanied with love and compassion, and boy did she love to joke around. :)
Helen and hugs will be so incredibly missed.
God Bless.
K
The family of Helen A. Kruse uploaded a photo
Saturday, January 28, 2017
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Please wait
Monday
6
February
First Visitation
5:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Monday, February 6, 2017
Carlson-Lillemoen Funeral Home
311 South Ashland Street
Cambridge, Minnesota, United States
763-689-2244
Need Directions?
Tuesday
7
February
Second Visitation
12:30 pm - 1:30 pm
Tuesday, February 7, 2017
Spring Lake Lutheran Church
8440 Erickson Road NE
North Branch, Minnesota, United States
(651) 674-4606
Need Directions?
Tuesday
7
February
Funeral Service
1:30 pm - 2:30 pm
Tuesday, February 7, 2017
Spring Lake Lutheran Church
8440 Erickson Road NE
North Branch, Minnesota, United States
(651) 674-4606
Need Directions?
Tuesday
7
February
Interment
4:00 pm - 4:30 pm
Tuesday, February 7, 2017
Cambridge Union Cemetery
Old South Main Street
Cambridge, Minnesota, United States
763-689-4830
Need Directions?
Carlson-Lillemoen Funeral Home & Cremation Services
311 South Ashland Street
Cambridge, MN 55008
Phone: 763-689-2244
