Jola (Gerstberger) Kraus, 88, died on July 12th at Garden Valley Retirement Village in Garden City, Kansas.
Jola was born on October 17, 1931, in Wichita County, Kansas, and she grew up in Marienthal, Kansas. Jola attended Marymount College in Salina, Kansas, earning an Associate's Degree in elementary education. She was the first lay teacher in 1951 at St. Mary's Catholic School in Garden City, Kansas, teaching fourth graders. Jola was a longtime member of St. Mary's Catholic Church.
She married her husband, Bernard Kraus, in 1952. They
established a farm outside of Holcomb, Kansas where they reared their
four daughters. They moved to Garden City in 1985 upon retiring from
farming. Jola and Bernard were avid and accomplished bridge players
during their lives together; she continued playing until shortly before
her death. Bernard preceded her in death in 1991. Jola was a member of
her local chapter of the Extension Homemakers Unit Group for over 60
years. Until a few years ago, Jola was a regular participant in water
exercises at the YWCA, and until recently she was active in Newman Club
and Prayer Group.
Jola is survived by her four daughters: Michelle Turner (husband,
John Smith) of Holcomb, Kansas; Stephanie Merrill (husband, Michael) of
Austin, Texas; Mary Traugott of Garden City, Kansas; Jennifer Delgado
(husband, Luis) of Austin, Texas. Jola is also survived by her sisters,
Bernice Berning of Leoti, Kansas and Shirley Kuriyama of Amarillo,Texas;
also surviving is her brother, Gerald Gerstberger of Overland Park,
Kansas. Jola is survived by seven grandchildren and six
great-grandchildren.
In addition to her husband, Bernard, Jola is preceded in death by
her parents, Alphonse A. Gerstberger and Loretta Kreutzer Gerstberger,
and by her sister, Lil Akagi.
Public Visitation will be held Wednesday, July 15 from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. at Garnand Funeral Home. Rosary will be at 10:00, Thursday, July 16 followed by a Mass of The
Resurrection at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Garden City at 10:30.
Burial at Valley View Cemetery will follow.
In lieu of flowers please consider memorials to St. Mary's Catholic Church in care of Garnand Funeral Home.