LaNita Eleanor Krause, long-time resident of Omaha, died March 14, 2026, in hospice care at Lincoln.
A celebration of LaNita’s life will be held Saturday, April 18, with visitation at 10 a.m. and service at 11 a.m., at Faith Westwood UM Church, 4814 Oaks Lane in Millard.
A private inurnment will be held at Westlawn-Hillcrest Memorial Park in Omaha.
Donations made be made to United Women in Faith at Faith Westwood United Methodist Church, Millard.
Arrangements are with Roper and Sons Chapel in Lincoln.
Born in Doniphan Nov. 22, 1931, and raised in Wayne, she was the eldest of Walter and Evelyn Woods’ six daughters. She was a straight A student from elementary school up through graduation from Wayne High School, and was very active in band and local church activities. In 1948 she met Jerry Krause at a fireman’s ball in Wayne. She started at Airline Communication School in Kansas City in March 1951; but Jerry, accompanied by her mother, drove to Kansas City to propose to her, and they were married in December 1951 and started their family. They celebrated their 65th anniversary in 2016.
She worked at Methodist Hospital as a chaplain secretary, then at Millard Public Schools as a cafeteria cook for Middle and High School. Lifelong Nebraska football fans, LaNita and Jerry were season ticket holders for over 40 years. She and her sisters have been avid fans of the Nebraska women’s volleyball team. Jerry and LaNita enjoyed golfing and in retirement were able to devote more time to traveling (they visited nearly all 50 states), spending time with family and friends, and volunteering at Faith Westwood Church, where they were charter members. LaNita liked to play golf with her sister and friends at a local par-3 golf course; she knitted and crocheted beautifully; and loved reading and meeting with the book club, especially enjoying mysteries and detective novels until it became too difficult to read.
She is survived by sisters Ardyce Stanley of Wayne, Judith Rath of Omaha, and Kathie Woods of Central City; brother-in-law, Ken Murphy (Carolyn) of Lincoln; three children Lori (Eriks) Pencis of Aurora, Colorado, Steve (Linda) of Placentia, California, and Al (Erin) of Lincoln; eight granddaughters and 11 great-grandchildren. She will be missed by many other family members and friends.
LaNita was preceded in death by her parents, husband Jerry, and sisters Julie Murphy and Derelea Keefauver.
