Hazel Ruby Nelson Krause, age 87 of Rapid City (Formerly Belle Fourche), died June 10, 2006 at the Clarkson Mountain View Health Care Facility in Rapid City.

The funeral service will be held 10 am Thursday at the St. James Lutheran Church in Belle Fourche, with Rev. Jeff Otterman officiating. Visitation will be held 12 to 5 PM Wednesday at Funeral Home of the Northern Hills in Belle Fourche, and 1 hour prior to the service at the church. Interment will be held in the Pine Slope Cemetery, in Belle Fourche.

Hazel was born at Tampico, Montana on August 28, 1918, and was the daughter of Nels Crist and Mary E. (Johnson) Nelson. She was baptized and confirmed in the Lutheran Faith. She attended Buggy Creek grade school for 8 years and graduated from the Glasgow High School in 1936. She was a member of the Tampico 4H Club. After graduation she went to work at the F. A. Buttrey Company in the ready to wear department in Glasgow, MT, and was the manager of the ready to wear department at Fort Peck, Montana.

Hazel married William J. (Johnny) Krause January 31, 1939 at the First Lutheran Church in Glasgow. He preceded her in death in 2001. They lived at Napa, CA from 1942-1946. They returned to Glasgow and lived at Fort Peck, Montana from 1946-1953. They then moved to Pickstown, South Dakota, where they lived for 24 years. She was a member of Lake Andes, South Dakota, Eastern Star. She was active in Boy Scouts, seeing her three sons from Cub Scouts to all achieving the Eagle Scout rank. She taught Sunday School, Bible School, held offices in the PTA, served on the Pickstown School Board, and Election Board. She was manager of the Lake Andes Central School breakfast and lunch program at Pickstown for 7 years. They moved to Belle Fourche, South Dakota, in 1977 and she worked at the Bell Fourche Health Care Center for 13 years, retiring in 1989. In 2001, she and Johnny moved to Rapid City to be closer to family. She enjoyed camping, crafts, her family, traveling, and visiting with
relatives and friends.

Survivors include her three sons and their wives. Bill and Winifred Krause of Columbia, Missouri, Dennis and Sandie Krause of Atkinson, New Hampshire, Kelvin and Janet Krause of Rapid City, South Dakota. Four grandchildren, Phillip, Melissa, and Eric Krause and Amanda Fletcher. She is also survived by five great grandchildren: Zach and Laura Fletcher; and Taylor, Morgan, and Jake Krause. One sister, Lorraine Bain, of Chireno, Texas and numerous nephews and nieces also survive.

She was preceded in death by her parents, husband, William J. Krause and six brothers, Martin, Victor, Floyd, Arthur, Pete, and Max; and three sisters, Nora, Anne, and Mabel.