With deepest sorrow we announce the death of Eugene “Gene” Krause early July 27, 2022 after a stoic battle against multiple myeloma. He was born on April 7, 1937 in Kenosha, WI, the third child (Carol Tabili, Robert) of Karl J. and Ottilie Krause, all of whom preceded him in death.
He often said he was born too late, a modest way of acknowledging that he was, in fact, a Renaissance man. He had a broadly brilliant, creative mind, recognized early on at the Kenosha public schools he attended. When his sixth-grade teacher thought their elementary school needed a newspaper, Gene was chosen as editor. His first editorial was for longer recesses! During his HS years, he elected to have three years of math and Latin, but was more interested in shooting pool and playing extramural basketball and golf. He graduated from Mary D. Bradford High School with honors in 1955. Then he went on to the University of Wisconsin, where he excelled in the very rare double major: Mathematics and English. He was initiated into Phi Eta Sigma Fraternity, a freshman honor society in 1956. In 1958, into the Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi. Having the highest average in Physics, he won a full-ride scholarship to Oxford University (England) which he declined, preferring math to physics. In 1959 he earned his BS (Mathematics), Phi Beta Kappa, "in recognition of high attainments in liberal scholarship."; in 1960, his MS (Mathematics); and in 1962, induction into The Society of Sigma Xi "devoted to the Promotion of Research in Science." And, in 1963, he received his PhD degree (Mathematics). While in college he served eight years in the Wisconsin Army National Guard's 32nd (Red Arrow) Division and was honorably discharged in 1963 with the rank of sergeant.
On August 9, 1959, he married his high school sweetheart, Jane Eleanor Thomas, a marriage that lasted two weeks short of 63 years. In 1963, they moved from Madison to Ann Arbor, where Gene began his professional career at the University of Michigan as Instructor in the Mathematics Dept. He subsequently rose through the ranks to Professor and served several years as Associate Chairman of the Mathematics Dept. Many years, he also taught a U of M evening class for public school math teachers in Flint, Detroit and Grand Rapids. In addition, he spent a semester in South Africa as a Fulbright Professor at Rhodes University at the end of what he jokingly called his British Empire trip, having lectured briefly in five other former colonies. He was a prolific author (8 textbooks totaling over 3,000 pages, numerous journal articles and research papers), and a popular teacher (6 awards for excellence in teaching). He retired from the U of M in 2003, granted Professor Emeritus title. In 2010, he was honored by the Mary D. Bradford High School Alumni Association as a Distinguished Alumnus.
It's not just Gene's academic brilliance and professional success that made him exceptional; it's the breadth of his knowledge and interests, and his skill in all of his pursuits. He was an avid reader, a terse writer; the family's walking thesaurus. He loved watching and participating in sports - 50 years of season tickets for Big 10 football games, pick-up games with sons and their friends, and coaching one son's summer baseball team. He collected music from Bill Broonzy to pops to liturgical music to great classics. He sang in his HS a cappella choir and a university chorus. He played the piano and accordion. He did crosswords in ink. He was artistic in photography, and in three special fortes: carving Jack-o-lanterns with sons and one for Jane for 60 years, designing birthday cakes using M&Ms to create math puzzles based on the honoree's age, and "the world's most beautiful Christmas sugar cookies". Despite his satisfying, successful career, Gene's greatest joys in life were all associated with family, beginning the days his two sons were born, when he said he felt he was walking on air. He was such an active, pleasant force in their lives, some of their friends expressed envy. Gene's personal hobbies were (in his words) "always centered around family: swimming vacations up North, family-album photography, golfing in a family foursome, gardening / landscaping with Jane, playing piano duets with Jane and the granddaughters, rough carpentry projects with his sons (workbenches, decks, sheds, play equipment), watching and photographing the grand-kids participating in school sports and concerts, collaborative crossword puzzling with Jane."
Eugene is survived by his wife Jane, their two sons and families: Ed, Christine (Ward), Travis, Nolan (Kiersten) and Caroline; and Tom, Lisa (Rockol), Conner (Darah), and Alexandra. Also, Marlene (Bob) Krause; Tabili nieces: Laura, Nancy (Arrowood) and Julie (Kilmer), and nephew Paul; and several great-nieces and nephews.
The family wishes to thank Arbor Hospice for their outstanding, kind care given to Gene and his family care-givers.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to Arbor Hospice: 2366 Oak Valley Drive, Ann Arbor, MI 48103. A memorial gathering will be held Thursday, October 6, 2022 at Phillips Funeral Home, 122 West Lake St. (10 Mile Rd), South Lyon, MI 48178. Visitation: 5:30-6:30; service 6:30-7:00. Please leave a memory or sign the guestbook at phillipsfuneral.com.
Published by Ann Arbor News from September 22-25, 2022.