Ellen May (Begrow) Kraut

Ellen M. Kraut of Hartford, passed away peacefully at the age of 92 years on Tuesday, June 25th, 2019, surrounded by her loving son and granddaughter.

Eulogy below written by her Granddaughter, Alyssa.

We are here today to celebrate the long life of Ellen May Kraut and all that she has experienced during her 92 years on this Earth. We come together to remember her for the beautiful, fun loving, family woman that she was.

My Grandmother was a special woman who wore many hats. She was a friend to many and played an important role in a lot of people’s lives. She was a wife, mother, sister, aunt, and one of my personal BFFs (best friends forever) or as we would always say to each other, “friends until the very end”. To Jeffrey she was mom and ‘Ellen the Melon’. To me she was my peanut, cookie monster, and flower girl. From birth until death she was known to all as a person of faith and kindness.

On March 14th 1927, Grandma was born to proud parents Otto and Clara Begrow, weighing in at only two and a half, tiny pounds. Ellen was a born fighter. As a small child, she was so small she could fit inside of a shoe box. My Grammy was also, a self- proclaimed, proud farm girl, born on the Begrow family farm in Dupont, Wisconsin and raised in Marion, Wisconsin. As she grew, she developed a love for music and she frequently danced the night away. Dancing was her one true love!  Until, she met my grandfather and her lifetime partner, Bud (kraut). Even though he stepped on her foot while dancing on their first date they danced all night long and later were married on November 4th, 1950. They made such a handsome couple and enjoyed 62 years of marriage full of fun, (necking at the drive-in) and dancing together until August 23, 2013, when Gramps peacefully passed away and went to Heaven.

            When they were newlyweds, they moved to the Milwaukee area and decided to “dunk it” and start a family. Then came bundles joy: Ellen gave birth to three children: their eldest child, daughter Pamela, and first son Jeffrey (as well as their second son, David whom passed away at an early age). When she wasn’t busy raising children and caring for her family, she used her technical skills to become an accomplished and talented licensed beautician working at the Butler Beauty Salon for many years.

Later, when the children were grown and established, Grandma and Grandpa retired. They decided to relocate to “Gods” country and spent their golden years in their summer cabin on Indian lake, in the Sugar Camp/Eagle River, area.

After 22 years in the north woods, Grandma became a widow and needed to be closer to her other family members, so she moved down to Hartford where Jeffrey and I cared for her. We all became such close friends and she received the best care possible. Even as her quality of life dwindled. The ‘big guy’ (Her Savior) was calling her and she answered that call. My Gram fought the good fight and never gave up. She came into this world a fighter and left this world a fighter. On Tuesday, June 25th, 2019, she finally lost her long battle with dementia and went on to live her eternal life, dancing with her beloved husband Bud.

As Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz said " There's no place like home," and for the last six years Grandma always said she wanted to go home. So, Grandma had her last dance, then clicked her dancing shoes three times and now is truly home.

She is survived by her children Pam and Jeff, her grandchildren Ryan and Alyssa, as well as other close friends and family Kim (Wood), Lawrie (Miller) and niece, Carol (Schwan).

Gram and Jeff and I always had a lot of fun and danced every chance we could. Right up until the very end. Now Gram and Gramps can finally be together and dance the night away again.Let’s keep on dancing and keep on having fun, Grandma!!  Thank you for being my bestie and now my angel too. Gone but NEVER forgotten.     

Visitation is Monday, July 1st, from 10-11 a.m.  at Wisconsin Memorial Park, Chapel of the Chimes. Funeral service will follow at 11 am.  Entombment, Wisconsin Memorial Park.

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