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November 20, 2012
Services
Funeral services will be held Monday, November 26, 2012 at 9:00 AM from the Vander May Wayne Colonial Funeral Home, 567 Ratzer Road, Wayne, then to Our Lady of the Holy Angels Church, 473 Main Street, Little Falls, NJ where at 10:00 AM Funeral Mass will be offered.
Friends may visit with the family on Sunday, November 25, 2012 from 2:00 to 6:00 PM at the funeral home.
Peter Kraus, age 68 of Wayne died suddenly on Tuesday, November 20, 2012.
One of two children, Peter was born in Aussig, Germany during World War II to Franz and Hilde Kraus. Soon after birth he and his family were sent to the concentration camps. His mother, anticipating the inevitability of this unfortunate event, began to hide oatmeal in the lining of his baby carriage bed. When the soldier came to take them away, she feigned an injury and asked if she could transport baby Peter in the carriage. By doing so, she was able to supplement for the lack of nutrition that they all would experience in the camp. After the war, Peter’s family was moved to an American-occupied farm in Munich, Germany. As a child, he developed a habit of sleepwalking. It was not uncommon for his parents to find him sleep-walking in the barn. At age ten, his father took a job in Palisades Park, NJ and the family emigrated to the United States.
As a young man, Peter served in the Army National Guard during the 1960’s. He loved his cars and while in The Guard, he purchased his first car…..a bright metallic blue 1965 Pontiac GTO. He later purchased a 69 GTO but his Chevy Chevette got the honors for his favorite car story. Eventually that Chevette grew old and started getting holes in the floor which, on rainy days would make his pants wet as he drove it to work. Upon arrival he would go straight to the men’s room and dry them on the hand dryers. The Chevette was also used one day to purchase lumber to build a deck. The weight of the lumber caused the roof to collapse!
In 1988, Peter was introduced by a friend to Susan Dammassa. They went on a blind date to Bennigans in Fairfield. After the date, Peter excitedly told a friend, “I’ve met the love of my life!” So much was he struck by the love bug that he began exercising on the treadmill just to look his best for her. They became instant soul-mates and this coming December ninth; they would have celebrated 22 years of marriage and some of the best years of their lives!
He enjoyed a long and gratifyingly prosperous career of 35 years as an aeronautic engineer with Singer Kearfott and BAE Systems where he retired three-and-a-half years ago. Retirement was no problem for Peter. It just gave him more time for endeavors he had already been enjoying for years – gardening, computers and photography. Peter’s home-grown tomatoes were so delicious, he could often be seen eating them in the garden like they were apples. Some of his other favorite crops included zucchini, cucumbers, string beans and lettuce. Peter gave his children, Jeffrey and Denise, their first computer, a Commodore 64 for Christmas in the early 1980’s. He was probably more excited about it than they were and over the years computing became a most enjoyable hobby that fed the engineer in him. He loved to take pictures too and presently had over 100,000 photos stored on his computer. His enjoyment of photography was just a reflection of what he loved and valued most in life, namely, his wife, children and grandchildren, flowers, butterflies, and all manner of God’s beautiful creation and all things Disney. He loved Disney! In 1993, Peter and Sue purchased their first RV and over the ensuing years, numerous trips were made to Disney Land and other destinations such as Acadia National Park in Maine in Longwood Gardens in Pennsylvania. At home, he especially enjoyed his vast Dept. 56 North Pole Christmas Village of over 200 pieces as well as his Dept. 56 Halloween Village.
Peter will be fondly remembered as a man who loved the companionship of family and friends. He was very giving and protective and in times of need, he was just a phone call away. He could fix anything and was often called for help. He and Sue lovingly welcomed Sue’s father into their house for nine years as he suffered from Alzheimer’s disease. Peter’s care of his father-in-law during that time was fantastic! Peter’s children will always remember some of their favorite childhood memories of Dad, cutting the grass with shorts and dress socks on, chasing neighborhood kids who threw snowballs at the house and trips going skiing and white water rafting. His grandchildren were his life and he especially enjoyed the simple activity of snuggling with them on the couch and watching a movie—Disney, no doubt, among others.
Peter was a man of great faith which increased in recent years as he and Sue attended bible study together at Holy Angels Church in Little Falls. He especially enjoyed the studies from the gospels as well as the one on women of the bible and the letters of John.
Peter is survived by his beloved wife Susan; his dear son Jeffrey and wife Maria of Kansas City, MO; his dear daughter Denise Jurewicz and husband William of Vernon; his six cherished grandchildren: Kaitlyn Kraus, Justin and Vincent Colley, and William, Benjamin and Kayla Jurewicz; his dear sister Doris Durmer of Brewster, NY and his nieces and nephews.
Those planning an expression of sympathy in Peter’s name are asked to consider the American Red Cross, P.O. Box 4002018, Des Moines, IA 50340-2018 or Our Lady of the Holy Angels Church, 473 Main Street, Little Falls, NJ 07424.
If you would like to send a private condolence directly to the family use this condolence section.
Funeral services will be held Monday, November 26, 2012 at 9:00 AM from the Vander May Wayne Colonial Funeral Home, 567 Ratzer Road, Wayne, then to Our Lady of the Holy Angels Church, 473 Main Street, Little Falls, NJ where at 10:00 AM Funeral Mass will be offered.
Friends may visit with the family on Sunday, November 25, 2012 from 2:00 to 6:00 PM at the funeral home.
November 20, 2012
Services
Funeral services will be held Monday, November 26, 2012 at 9:00 AM from the Vander May Wayne Colonial Funeral Home, 567 Ratzer Road, Wayne, then to Our Lady of the Holy Angels Church, 473 Main Street, Little Falls, NJ where at 10:00 AM Funeral Mass will be offered.
Friends may visit with the family on Sunday, November 25, 2012 from 2:00 to 6:00 PM at the funeral home.
Peter Kraus, age 68 of Wayne died suddenly on Tuesday, November 20, 2012.
One of two children, Peter was born in Aussig, Germany during World War II to Franz and Hilde Kraus. Soon after birth he and his family were sent to the concentration camps. His mother, anticipating the inevitability of this unfortunate event, began to hide oatmeal in the lining of his baby carriage bed. When the soldier came to take them away, she feigned an injury and asked if she could transport baby Peter in the carriage. By doing so, she was able to supplement for the lack of nutrition that they all would experience in the camp. After the war, Peter’s family was moved to an American-occupied farm in Munich, Germany. As a child, he developed a habit of sleepwalking. It was not uncommon for his parents to find him sleep-walking in the barn. At age ten, his father took a job in Palisades Park, NJ and the family emigrated to the United States.
As a young man, Peter served in the Army National Guard during the 1960’s. He loved his cars and while in The Guard, he purchased his first car…..a bright metallic blue 1965 Pontiac GTO. He later purchased a 69 GTO but his Chevy Chevette got the honors for his favorite car story. Eventually that Chevette grew old and started getting holes in the floor which, on rainy days would make his pants wet as he drove it to work. Upon arrival he would go straight to the men’s room and dry them on the hand dryers. The Chevette was also used one day to purchase lumber to build a deck. The weight of the lumber caused the roof to collapse!
In 1988, Peter was introduced by a friend to Susan Dammassa. They went on a blind date to Bennigans in Fairfield. After the date, Peter excitedly told a friend, “I’ve met the love of my life!” So much was he struck by the love bug that he began exercising on the treadmill just to look his best for her. They became instant soul-mates and this coming December ninth; they would have celebrated 22 years of marriage and some of the best years of their lives!
He enjoyed a long and gratifyingly prosperous career of 35 years as an aeronautic engineer with Singer Kearfott and BAE Systems where he retired three-and-a-half years ago. Retirement was no problem for Peter. It just gave him more time for endeavors he had already been enjoying for years – gardening, computers and photography. Peter’s home-grown tomatoes were so delicious, he could often be seen eating them in the garden like they were apples. Some of his other favorite crops included zucchini, cucumbers, string beans and lettuce. Peter gave his children, Jeffrey and Denise, their first computer, a Commodore 64 for Christmas in the early 1980’s. He was probably more excited about it than they were and over the years computing became a most enjoyable hobby that fed the engineer in him. He loved to take pictures too and presently had over 100,000 photos stored on his computer. His enjoyment of photography was just a reflection of what he loved and valued most in life, namely, his wife, children and grandchildren, flowers, butterflies, and all manner of God’s beautiful creation and all things Disney. He loved Disney! In 1993, Peter and Sue purchased their first RV and over the ensuing years, numerous trips were made to Disney Land and other destinations such as Acadia National Park in Maine in Longwood Gardens in Pennsylvania. At home, he especially enjoyed his vast Dept. 56 North Pole Christmas Village of over 200 pieces as well as his Dept. 56 Halloween Village.
Peter will be fondly remembered as a man who loved the companionship of family and friends. He was very giving and protective and in times of need, he was just a phone call away. He could fix anything and was often called for help. He and Sue lovingly welcomed Sue’s father into their house for nine years as he suffered from Alzheimer’s disease. Peter’s care of his father-in-law during that time was fantastic! Peter’s children will always remember some of their favorite childhood memories of Dad, cutting the grass with shorts and dress socks on, chasing neighborhood kids who threw snowballs at the house and trips going skiing and white water rafting. His grandchildren were his life and he especially enjoyed the simple activity of snuggling with them on the couch and watching a movie—Disney, no doubt, among others.
Peter was a man of great faith which increased in recent years as he and Sue attended bible study together at Holy Angels Church in Little Falls. He especially enjoyed the studies from the gospels as well as the one on women of the bible and the letters of John.
Peter is survived by his beloved wife Susan; his dear son Jeffrey and wife Maria of Kansas City, MO; his dear daughter Denise Jurewicz and husband William of Vernon; his six cherished grandchildren: Kaitlyn Kraus, Justin and Vincent Colley, and William, Benjamin and Kayla Jurewicz; his dear sister Doris Durmer of Brewster, NY and his nieces and nephews.
Those planning an expression of sympathy in Peter’s name are asked to consider the American Red Cross, P.O. Box 4002018, Des Moines, IA 50340-2018 or Our Lady of the Holy Angels Church, 473 Main Street, Little Falls, NJ 07424.
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