We have created this fundraising page in memory of Patty Kruse. Tragically, we lost her 67 years young to acral melanoma. 

With your help, the funds we raise in memory of her will support a great cause. Click donate to make a secure online donation. All donations over $2 are tax deductible.

On behalf of Patty and her family and all those who love her and miss her terribly, thank you for your support.

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Patricia (Patty) Ann Kruse, 67, of Robins, Iowa passed away Sunday, May 3, 2026, at her home after a hard-fought battle with metastatic acral melanoma.  

She was born on April 21, 1959, in Queens, NY, to Mary Ann and Fenton Costigan, and was the eldest of four children. She was raised in Cedar Rapids, Iowa with her three brothers, Kevin, Jayme, and Kelly. She enjoyed spending time on her grandparents' farm in Fairfax with her large extended Lefebure family.  

While working at Earl May Garden Center, she met the love of her life, Brian Kruse. They were married on April 21, 1979. Together, they built something extraordinary – a loving family, a thriving business, and a legacy of love, commitment, and perseverance.  

In 1985, with two young girls and a baby boy on the way, Brian and Patty opened ULTRALawn, dedicating countless hours of hard work building their lawn care and landscaping company together. Over decades, the company grew and flourished, becoming a testament to the work ethic and vision they shared. Of all their accomplishments, however, nothing made Patty prouder than her family.

She was a devoted mother to their three children – Lesley, Jennifer, and Matthew. She adored her seven grandchildren, who affectionately called her Nana. She made it a priority to nurture their love of books—taking them to the library, reading together at home, and making stories come alive with enthusiasm and laughter. It was something she and Brian shared together with great joy.

Among the many books they read, one family favorite stood above the rest: “Go, Dog. Go!” Brian and Patty read it to their grandchildren with dramatic flair, bringing the story to life in a way that left everyone giggling and asking to hear it again and again. Those moments—children gathered close, listening and laughing—were some of Patty's happiest.

Patty and Brian shared a remarkable partnership that was evident to everyone who knew them. In their 47 years of marriage, they were rarely apart. Nearly every day you could find them together on their back patio or in their sunroom, unwinding after the day and enjoying each other’s company. This routine fueled a lifetime of love, teamwork, and deep friendship.

Patty was a talented quilter. Quilt camps and weekends spent sewing with her sister-in-law, Lois, were among her favorite pastimes. With Lois’s help, she completed her final quilts. Her quilts are beautiful works of art that will forever wrap her children and grandchildren in her love.

Her strength and determination were so much a part of who she was — and how she and Brian raised their family — that it eventually became a family joke. Over the years, the Kruse family adopted a theme song: Tom Petty’s “I Won’t Back Down.” Whenever one of the grandchildren was having a meltdown, or when Brian or the kids were a bit too enthusiastically discussing opposing points of view, someone — usually Mom — would inevitably reference the song, turning tension into laughter. It became a lighthearted reminder that every member of the family shared the same stubborn determination and resilient spirit she modeled so well.

During her courageous battle with cancer, Patty remained the same strong woman her family always knew: resilient, determined, and full of heart. In true Kruse family fashion, Patty lived with strength, stood her ground, and never backed down.

Her legacy lives on through her three children, Lesley (Jeff) Vossenkemper, Jennifer (Dan Crosby) Kruse, Matthew (Amy) Kruse, and seven grandchildren, Emily Kubik, Jayson Kubik, Owen Crosby, Vivienne Crosby, Margo Crosby, Everett Kruse, and Annabelle Kruse, each of whom carries a piece of her strength and spirit.

She is survived by her loving husband Brian, their three children and their spouses; her seven grandchildren; her brothers, Kevin and Jayme; and many friends and family whose lives were enriched by knowing her. She was preceded in death by her mother, Mary Ann, and her brother Kelly.

Please consider making a donation in Patty’s honor to advance acral melanoma research through the Melanoma Research Alliance.