Michael P. Krause, 84, of Wayne, NJ, passed away peacefully on September 6, 2024 in his home holding the love of his life’s hand.
Born on August 3, 1940 in Jersey City, NJ to Anna and Michael Krause, he was the first and only member of his family to attend college. Mike’s career began at Weehawken High School, teaching biology and physics. Years later he transitioned into administration in education as a K-12 Science Supervisor in Irvington, and came out of retirement as Human Resources Director to facilitate strike negotiations between the teacher’s union and the Board of Education in Paterson. He also served on the Wayne School’s Board of Ed for 3-terms and as a town councilman for 16 years, fighting to preserve Wayne’s small town feel and natural spaces.
On her first day as an English teacher at Weehawken High, a few short years after Mike started teaching there, a Shakespeare-loving beauty glimpsed the stare of a fellow teacher. Only 3 months later, Mike and Loretta were engaged and about to embark on a marriage that would last 56 years, 2 months and 15 days.
Mike spent that short window of time building the most beautiful life with Loretta, helping to raise his children Michael, Mitchel and Michele. He taught them the importance of hard work, perseverance, and education, and they were shown by example the meaning of love. His first love was Loretta, always more concerned about her welfare than his own, even until his end. When not holding her hand, he would often be found bragging proudly about one of his children, children-in-law or many grandchildren.
Mike also loved deep sea fishing for flounder at the Jersey shore, in Chincoteague, VA or on the North Carolina coast always trying to catch a “keeper”. A lover of Doo-wop, he had a dry sense of humor, was not afraid to be silly, and was kind to everyone. He had a propensity to spell words to his kids, even into their adulthood, was known to never leave a piece of lint on the floor without picking it up, and was really good at giving step-by-step instructions on how to cook while never having actually cooked a minute of his life. He loved observing the wildlife at the ocean with Loretta over a cup of boiling hot tea with lemon. Mike was known to ask a server to bring his soup or coffee to him at temperatures hot enough to leave third degree burns on any normal human, always asking them to “nuke it”. At Christmastime, his kids and grandkids alike would beg to hear his story that he and his brother once woke up in their Jersey City row house to see Santa Claus near the tree, a story he stuck to throughout his entire life.
Throughout his life, Mike loved sports; playing them, coaching high school basketball, but mostly watching them. He had a love/hate relationship with the Giants, whether watching at Giant’s Stadium wearing his fluorescent orange hunting gear or yelling at the players through the T.V. and throwing a pillow at it. But the most joy he got was watching his sons play football at Wayne Hills High School and then at West Point and UCONN, and the many sports of his grandchildren or his daughter’s achievements in the classroom.
In summary, Mike was a doting husband, and the best dad there ever could be. He will be missed beyond words.
Mike is survived by his loving wife, Loretta; children, Mitchel (and Jessica) Krause, Michele (and Peter) Bick and (Jilian) Krause; and grandchildren, Kylie, Jack and Tori Bick, Emilia and Annabel Krause, and MJ, Bobby and Billy Krause. He was predeceased by his brother, William Krause, and his beloved son Michael Gabriel Krause who met him again in Heaven.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to West Point Association of Graduates Army Football: West Point Association of Graduates
A celebration of life will be held on November 16th at a place to be determined in the Tega Cay area.
Palmetto Funeral Home and Cremation Services is serving the family.
