Kenneth Richard Kruse, age 81, of Batesville, passed away on Tuesday, August 25, 2026, at his residence.
He was born on September 20, 1944, in Batesville, Indiana, the son of Ralph and Thelma (Shouse) Kruse. Ken grew up in Oldenburg and Batesville. On May 4, 1968, he married Barbara (Berg) Kruse, and together they shared 58 years of marriage. Barbara survives.
A 1962 graduate of Batesville High School, Ken began his career that same year as a skilled upholsterer at RomWeber Furniture Company. In 1976, he became a valued employee of the Delta Faucet Company in Greensburg, where he worked until his retirement in 2009. Over the course of his life, he served as a reserve member of the National Guard, was Past Master of Batesville Masonic Lodge No. 668, and held council leadership roles at Batesville United Methodist Church and St. John’s Lutheran Church in Napoleon. Ken was a talented woodworker, a dedicated lay speaker, a knowledgeable gardener, and an avid reader. He will be remembered for the quiet dedication he brought to his work, his church, and his family, and for the steady presence he was to those closest to him.
Surviving in addition to his wife, Barbara, is his son, Nathan Kruse of Cleveland, Ohio.
He was preceded in death by his sister, Barbara Olney, and his brothers, James Kruse and Eugene Kruse.
Private graveside services will be held at St. Paul Cemetery, Crossroads, in Batesville. A celebration of life will be scheduled for a later time.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Batesville Food Pantry or Margaret Mary Hospice by mailing to Meyers Funeral Home, P.O. Box 202, Batesville, IN 47006.
Please feel free to leave a memory or message of comfort for Ken’s family in the online guestbook at www.meyersfuneralhomes.com.