Barbara Jane (Clay) Kraus, 79, of Arnold died Sept. 1, 2021, at Friendship Village in St. Louis. Mrs. Kraus was a retired secretary with Anheuser-Busch. She was a member of the United Church of Christ and a 50-plus-year member of the Order of the Eastern Star. Born Nov. 13, 1941, in Portageville, she was the daughter of the late Minnie Alice (Patten) and Clarence Clay. She was preceded in death by her husband of 60 years: Richard Harvey Kraus.
She is survived by two children: Stacey (Wanda) Kraus of Arnold and Raema (Wayde) Kraus Howell of O'Fallon; a brother: William David Clay of Tallahassee, Fla.; five grandchildren:
Amy Kraus and Curtis (Kaitlyn) Kraus, both of Cape Girardeau, Zachary Kraus and Alexander Kraus, both of Arnold, and Zoey Howell of O'Fallon; two great-grandchildren: Allison and Maci Kraus, both of Cape Girardeau; and a brother-in-law: Robert (Kathy) Kraus of Festus.
She was preceded in death by a brother: Jimmy Wayne (Janette) Clay; a half brother: Jerry Thomas Clay; a sister-in-law: Carol (nee Kraus) Crump; and a brother-in-law: Ronald Kraus Sr.
Visitation is scheduled at 4 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 9, at Kutis Funeral Home, 5255 Lemay Ferry Road, in south St. Louis County. A funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. Friday, Sept. 10, at the funeral home, officiated by Wayde Howell. Burial is in the Shepherd Hills Cemetery in Barnhart. Memorials may be made to Memory Care Home Solutions. Arrangements are under the direction of Kutis Funeral Home.