WLKM Radio 95.9 FM
Mary Louise Krull, age 90, of Three Rivers, passed away into the Lord Jesus’ arms on Saturday, April 13, 2024 at Birch Meadows Senior Care.
She was born November 27, 1933 in Louisville, Ky., the daughter of Loy and Dixie (Johnson) Purcell, and graduated from Louisville Central High School with the Class of 1951.
Mary worked in retail for 15 years – 13 of those years as a department manager at J.C. Penney’s in Sturgis. With JCP she covered the Boy’s & Girl’s Department and Catalog desk; as well, she used her artistic skills creating beautiful window displays. One can say JCP kept her very busy before her son John Ed was born. She also worked briefly in Three Rivers at Reish’s Shoe Store and at Hallmark.
On January 6, 1968, she married the love of her life, John Robert Krull, at Holy Angels Church, Sturgis. The two met on a blind date at Klinger Lake, and in their later years, enjoyed travel while visiting friends and family and taking in the scenic countryside. She always would say travel while you are young and able.
Mary enjoyed drawing and painting, and was a talented writer of letters and poems. She often wrote letters and emails to her friends and relatives sharing her poetry and thoughts on the day. She had a love for genealogy – discovering the stories of her past and sharing them with others. She did genealogy for several people helping them find their ancestral lineage. Mary was a devout Christian who was a Sunday School teacher and youth group coordinator with the Sturgis Wesleyan Methodist Church before she converted to the Catholic Church where she attended Holy Angels Sturgis. Mary was also an active member of Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Three Rivers.
Her heart shone brightly as she cared for her parents and her family, always giving more of herself than she ever received. Through it all, she remained jovial, gregarious, humorous, and quick-witted. Even up to the day before her passing she made eyes and winks at her family. Truly maintaining her character while hanging on until the end.
Remaining to cherish Mary’s memory are her husband, John Robert Krull; son, John Edward (Hope) Krull; brother, John Purcell; many nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents and five siblings.
A Rosary will be recited on Friday, April 19, 2024 at 10:00 a.m. at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, 645 S. Douglas Ave., Three Rivers. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11:00 a.m. at the church with Fr. R. Mathias officiating. She will be laid to rest at Riverside Cemetery.
Donations in Mary’s memory may be directed to Immaculate Conception Catholic School or Alzheimer’s Association via the St. Joseph County Commission on Aging. Envelopes will be available at the church and at Hohner Funeral Home.
