Duaine “Red” Lee Kruse, 61, of Amarillo, Texas passed away on August 29, 2021.
Memorial services will be at 1:00 P.M., Sunday, September 5, 2021, in Hillcrest Baptist Church, 2901 Martin Road.
Duaine was born on December 14, 1959, to Harold Duaine Kruse and Nancy Joann (Kruse) Gulish. He attended Palo Duro High School from 1976 to 1977. He studied Auto Body Repair at Palo Duro High School. This began his love for working on cars. He learned a lot from his dad and to the day of his passing he was always working on cars and helping people get their cars functioning.
He was an avid racecar fan. Dale Earnhardt was his favorite driver and he followed him through his career. He loved collecting anything racecar and his collection proves his true love of the sport.
All of Duaine’s friends and family say he had a heart of gold. He was willing to help anyone, anytime, anywhere. If a person called for help, he would drop what he was doing and go help them. He treated all people like family and wanted to be sure everyone was taken care of. He was the most selfless person you could ever meet.
He had a love for the Canadian River. Every year during the sand drags he would take his truck out there and compete in the mud bogs. He also spent a lot of weekends and time out there just driving around and hanging out with friends and family. There would be bonfires, late-night drives in the meadows and chicken creek, camping, food, friends and love shared at this place.
He was also a very good pool player. He played with a team of his friends and they competed in pool tournaments. He always ensured everyone had a good time at them and they came out on top, winning the tournament or not. Fun time with friends outweighed any trophy that could be earned, in his opinion, though they did place a lot and had fun doing it.
He is survived by his wife, Carol Kruse of Fritch, TX; his son, Justin Kruse of Waco, TX and wife Ashley; his daughters, Trisha Kruse of Waco, TX and her husband Claude McClain, and Kristina Kruse of Amarillo, TX; his beloved furbaby, Trixie; his sister, Lori Sorrell of Midland, TX and husband Jerry; and five grandchildren, Colt, Roper, Anthony, Gage, and Zackary. He had a very large family and a very loving extended family of cousins, nieces, aunts, and uncles.
He was preceded in death by his dad, Harold Duaine Kruse; his mom, Nancy Joann Gulish; his stepdad, George Gulish; his grandmother, Lora Mae Hawkins; and his grandson, Michael Thomas.
If you are ordering flowers, the family has requested using Scott’s Flowers.
Always ready with a smile and hug and encouraging word! You were a special man and will be greatly missed. Rest In Peace, my friend!
I was blessed to have Red on my journey in life from 1995or 1996. He could always make you smile, and make you feel like family. He blessed us with a cool metal cutout that was on the shed last time we lived in Amarillo. It’s fixing to go above our bed. There is so few so honest and caring.
River will be lost without you😘We will celebrate you from afar.
Prayers sent for all left behind
miss are conversations over the fence for many many years
Duaine will be missed 😢
I will always remember him walking with me at Dad’s funeral to the graveside so I wouldn’t walk alone. Sorry I can’t be there to say goodbye but he will not be forgotten.
Faith