To Celebrate a Life of Love: Clarence Eugene Krus

November 27, 1925-October 7, 2022

It is with great sadness that we announce the departure of our beloved husband and father, Clarence Eugene Krus, on Friday, October 7, 2022. Clarence was born November 27, 1925 in Houston, Texas. He was preceded in death by his parents, Louis Jacob Krus and Clara Dobraski Krus.

He came to San Antonio in 1930. He attended St. Mary’s Parochial School, Hawthorne Middle School, and graduated from Fox Tech High School in 1943. He began learning the metal fabrication trade, but this career was interrupted when he joined the U.S. Army during World War II. Clarence served in the Counter Intelligence Corp in Japan. After his service, he returned home in October 1947. He met Mary Lou Harris on August 11, 1948. They were married on June 1, 1949 at Mission San Jose.

In 1961, Clarence, along with associate John Forestier, opened his own business, the Krus-Forestier Corporation. In addition to being the fabricator and supplier for many restaurants and hotel supply companies in San Antonio and South Texas, Krus-Forestier was the engineer and builder of several monumental sculptures designed by Richard Harrel Rodgers. These include The Colonade in San Antonio, a sculpture in the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C., the cross of Parkway Presbyterian Church in Corpus Christi, Texas, the Double Helix at the Health Science Center in San Antonio, Vector I at the McNay Art Institute, and another in the Woodlands.

Clarence was a Knight of St. Gregory. He was a member of St. Mary Magdalene Catholic Church and was a lector at St. Matthew’s and at Holy Spirit Catholic Churches. After retirement, he and Mary Lou moved to Nacogdoches, Texas to be close to their daughter and grandchildren where he was a member of Sacred Heart Catholic Church. They enjoyed their travels in the U.S. and a trip to Europe, but their favorite was their trip to Australia. They moved back to San Antonio in 2007.

Clarence is survived by his wife of 73 years, Mary Lou, his daughter, Gena Montfort, and her husband John.

Pop will be greatly missed by his three grandchildren, Dr. Nicholas Montfort and his wife Flourish of New York City, Dr. Elizabeth Urteaga of Boerne, Texas and Tim Montfort, Wealth Management Specialist with Raymond James Advisors and his wife Dr. Heather Brandfeldner of San Antonio. Pop is also survived by three great-grandchildren, Gianna Urteaga, JohnPaul Urteaga, and Laurel Montfort.

Clarence was a fly fisherman, a deer hunter, and enjoyed his weekends at his High Sky Ranch in Comfort, Texas. He has now joined the ranks of good men at his Creator’s side.

FUNERAL SERVICES

The Rosary and visitation will be held on Wednesday, October 12 at 7:00 P.M. The Funeral Mass will be offered on Thursday, October 13 at 11:30 A.M. Both services will be held at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church, 4201 De Zavala Rd, San Antonio, Texas 78249.

Interment will be held at Holy Cross Cemetery at 2:00 P.M.

MEMORIAL CONTRIBUTIONS

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Gordon Hartman Family Foundation, 5210 Thousand Oaks, Suite 1318, San Antonio, Texas 78233.