Geraldine Marie (Godar) Krause

Geraldine Marie Krause, 97, died at 8:04 p.m., Sunday, October 6, 2019 at Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis, Mo.

She was born just north of Hardin, Illinois on April 24, 1922, the oldest of eleven children born to Paul Frederick and Theresa Agnes (Becker) Godar.

As the oldest of her siblings, she learned early on the traits of responsibility, as well as a caring heart. She has spent her entire life caring for others, nurturing and loving, not only to her siblings when they were youngsters, but also as a caregiver in the health care field, where she worked at numerous nursing homes in the area.

During her career, she spent most of her time at Greenlawn Nursing Home in Jerseyville and Reisch Memorial Nursing Home in Carrollton. As a devoted farmers wife and mother, she spent many hours on the farm assisting wherever necessary, and especially enjoyed the tranquility of her flower gardens.

She married Arthur Krause on June 25, 1941 in Calhoun County, and together they raised their three children on their farm in English Township, and spent 51 years together prior to his death on August 7, 1992.

She is survived by her two daughters and a son in-law, Dorothy "Dottie" and Kent White of Jerseyville, and Ruth Rodgers of Kane; a daughter in-law, Barbara Krause of Carrollton; five grandchildren and their spouses, Mike and Julie White of Godfrey, Tammy Harmon of Kane, Michelle Raymond of Jerseyville, Allison and Nathan Howard of Alton, and Will and Elizabeth Krause of Edwardsville; 13 Great Grandchildren; and two sisters and a brother in-law, Donna Droege of St. Charles, Mo., and Melba and Steve Tepen of Hardin.

Although she was blessed with a long and happy life, she also endured tragedy during her life, as she lost her son, Darrell Krause, on July 11, 1997 and a granddaughter, Audrey Rodgers on Nov. 22, 2016, both in tragic automobile accidents; in addition, she was preceded in death by a great granddaughter, Emma Schildroth; five brothers, Alfred, Cecil Frances, Romeo Joseph, Patrick Joseph, and Manuel Godar; and three sisters, Elaine Turner, Rosalie Beiermann and Alice Baalman.

Visitation will be from 4 to 7 p.m. Friday at the Crawford Funeral Home in Jerseyville, where a prayer service will be read at  7 p.m.

A Mass of Christian Burial will take place at 10 a.m. Saturday at the Holy Ghost Catholic Church in Jerseyville, with Father Hyland Smith officiating.

Burial will take place in the St. Francis Xavier Catholic Cemetery in Jerseyville.

Memorials may be given to the St. Francis/Holy Ghost Catholic Schools in Jerseyville or to Masses.

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