Helen Krause

FOREST CITY-Helen Cole Krause, 82, of Forest City died Friday, Nov. 15, 2013, at White Oak Manor in Rutherfordton.
She was born March 23, 1931, in Forest City and was a daughter of the late D.C. and Faye Best Cole. Helen was an educator and Choral Director having retired from the Shelby Public Schools as well as serving in many other schools in the state and country. Helen was also a Choral Clinician.
A former longtime member of the First Presbyterian Church of Forest City where she served as Music Director for many years and recently moved her membership back to her home church at Pleasant Grove United Methodist Church. She was also a former member of the Pilot Club of Rutherford County, the Griffith Rutherford Chapter of the DAR, a member of the Cecelia Music Club in Shelby, Bertha Bostic Music Club in Forest City, the Lamar Stringfield Music Club of Rutherfordton as well as the Delta Kappa Gamma Honorary Teachers Society.
Helen was a graduate of Appalachian State where she received her Bachelor of Science degree in Music Education and later received her Master's Degree also in Music Education. Her many years of teaching began at Rutherfordton-Central High School teaching Chorus and Band, and also at Rutherfordton Elementary School where she taught Classroom music. She then moved to Shelby High School where she taught Choral Music, then went on to work as Music Teacher and Consultant in the Warrenton, Virginia Schools. She also taught music at Putney Vermont Private School, Chase High School in Chorus and Band and finally returned to the music programs at both Shelby High School and Shelby Middle School where she retired. Helen also directed the Rutherford County Home Demonstration Club chorus that received North Carolina recognition and appeared on WBTV-Charlotte. She organized a teacher's chorus from the Shelby School District that sang for the North Carolina District State Teacher's Meeting along with numerous other activities. Helen also accompanied her choral students to Wilmington to perform the musical "Oklahoma" at the State Superintendent's Conference in 1980. She also was a Choral Clinician for Gaston and Lincoln Counties. A music scholarship was established in Helen's name at Mars Hill College for rising freshmen or transfer students from Rutherford and Cleveland Counties.
She was preceded in death by her former husband, Jack Glenn Krause and her brothers, Roger D. Cole, Benjamin Grose Cole, and John Owen Cole.
Survivors include her daughter, Jane Krause Hill and husband Jeff, and two grandsons, Chris Hill and fiancée, Kristy Dotson and Gray Hill all of Forest City, a sister, Margaret Cole McGinnis of Kings Mountain, as well as her nieces and nephews.
A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. Monday, Nov. 18, 2013, in the First Presbyterian Church of Forest City with Reverend Becky Stanley and Reverend Dr. Phillip W. Dunford officiating.
Interment will be held privately for the immediate family in the Pleasant Grove United Methodist Church Cemetery.
Visitation will be held from six until 8 p.m. Sunday evening at The Padgett and King Mortuary. Memorials may be made to the Handbell Fund at the First United Methodist Church, 346 East Main Street, Forest City, NC 28043 or the Alzheimer's Association, 31 College Avenue, A105, Asheville, NC 28801.
The family is at the home of her daughter on McCall Drive, Forest City. The Padgett and King Mortuary is in charge of arrangements and an online guest registry is available at www.padgettking.com