Eva Jo Kruis

Eva Jo Hutchins Kruis (Jo) passed away February 17, 2023. She was born to Florence and Frank Hutchins in Norman in 1923. Hardship struck early in her life when her little brother died and her father left the home. She grew up in the loving care of her mother and grandparents and with her mother’s younger siblings. Always nimble as a child, Jo loved to do somersaults, flips and other acrobatic tricks that entertained the neighborhood children. She loved riding her bicycle, roller skating and also enjoyed dancing. Even as she grew older, she often amazed people with her physical flexibility! As a teen she found solace and delight with the youth group at a local Baptist church. She remained faithful to her church, dedicating years of service to Bethel Baptist where (at nearly100) she was their oldest member.

After Jo graduated high school, she went to work at the naval training center, North Base, where she met Roland Kruis. They married three weeks after they met and spent 75 years together before Roland passed in 2018. Well-known in the community for their decades in the shoe business, Jo loved befriending their customers at Jo’s Garden of Shoes, Roland’s The Wooden Shoe, and Steppin’ Out, their daughter Donna’s boutique. She even kept a prayer box to pray for their clientele. Years after they retired, former customers were delighted to see them out in the community.

When Jo was a young mother, her parents re-married and many years later Jo cared for each of them in her home. She was a long-time Sunday School teacher and for a few years, as president of her adult women’s class, she loved hosting various theme parties at her home. She enjoyed having company, and was blessed in her last years to have a number of friends who came to spend the days with her.

Jo’s grandchildren also have fond memories of playing the game Spoons with their grandmother. She was quite the competitor and often would wrestle them in order to procure the spoon for herself! Lots of laughter ensued.

Jo and Roland had three daughters, Elaine Kruis Henson (John), Norman; Donna Kruis Hayes (Bill), Norman; and Cindy Kruis Aldinger (Michael), Sacramento, CA. They also had six grandchildren, Billy Hayes (Summer), New Braunfels, TX; Christopher Hayes, Norman; Teresa Henson Schuster (Mike), Norman; David Henson (Penny), Plano, TX; Timothy Aldinger (Rebecca), Sacramento; and Nathan Aldinger (Sara), Bozeman, MT; eleven great grandchildren Parker Schuster (Julia), and Connor Schuster; Josh, Marcus, Amber and Seth Henson; Alex Hayes; Benjamin, Sam, and Owen Aldinger; Eloise and Ian Aldinger; and recently the first great-great granddaughter Phoebe Schuster.

A celebration of Jo’s life will be held on a later date.