Donna Marie Krause

Donna Marie (Hillegas) Krause died after a short illness on April 1, 2020 at Sioux City, IA. Due to the current coronavirus restrictions, the services are for immediate family only and will be held at a later date. Burial will be at Omaha Valley Cemetery. Meyer Brothers Morningside Chapel is assisting the family.

She was born on June 29, 1933 at Shelby, NE, the daughter of Frank and Sophia (Augustine) Hillegas.

She married William (Bill) Krause February 25, 1955 at Winnebago, NE. 

Prior to graduating from high school in Thurston NE, Donna began teaching at a one room country school house outside of town. She made many life-long friends among both her students and neighbors who would give her a ride to or from the school house, as well as her classmates at the Thurston Public School.

She completed her Course of Study at The Nebraska State Teachers College at Wayne in 1952, and continued teaching in one room school houses in Wayne and Thurston counties until shortly after her marriage. She and her husband began farming outside of Winnebago NE, and continued that until Bill’s farm accident in 1974. She and her husband were the parents of two children, at least one of whom turned out amazing. Those two children provided them with six grandchildren, each of whom were amazing to their grandparents.

After leaving the farm, she and her family moved to Homer NE, and she held a number of different jobs, including postmaster for Homer, waitress at the Knight Stop, and master of many tasks at Western Cartographers. Ultimately, her love of teaching and her grandchildren brought her back to the classroom as a volunteer in the Homer public school where she became “Grandma Krause” to a generation of students.

She is survived by her son, Mark (Janet) Krause of Phoenix, AZ, grandsons Rodney Jenkins of Sioux City, IA and William (Melissa) Krause of Tucson, AZ, granddaughters Brooke (Christopher) Hines of Omaha, NE, Vanessa Krause of Yokohama, Japan, Melissa (Daryl Jr.) LaPointe of Homer, NE and Kristi (Anthoney) Ellis of Sioux City, IA and four great grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her husband of 58 years, her daughter Ann (Lonnie) Nye, her parents, one sister, Della Drum and two brothers, Roland and Harlyn Hillegas.

Donna requested that any donations in lieu of flowers be made to Wayne State Foundation, C/O Donna M. (Hillegas) Krause Elementary Scholarship, 1111 Main Street, Wayne, NE 68787