– From a blizzard to a rainstorm with a lifetime in between.
On February 4, 1947, there was a severe blizzard. That is when Alice Margaret Kruta entered the world in Poplar Grove township, rural Roseau County. Her mother, Helen (Kluzak) Kruta was in labor and her father, George Kruta, knew that due to the storm, they could not get to a hospital. He didn’t even attempt driving. Instead, he hooked up the horses and went to get a neighbor to act as a midwife. By the time he returned, Alice was already born. She was named by her oldest sister Addie. Her birth was a sign of the strong and resilient person Alice would become.
Alice grew up on the family farm where they raised dairy cows, chickens, geese, pigs and grain crops. Everyone worked hard on the farm, so hard that Alice joked they even washed their own diapers. Alice had fond memories of growing up on the farm. She loved her mom’s cooking. She told stories about sharing two pairs of ice skates amongst the six kids. She was in 4H, rode cows with her sister Shirley and was a member of the Czech Lodge located at Kruta Hall. Alice reminisced about how she was encouraged by her brothers to keep up when throwing bales and doing other farm chores. Work ethic and love of family were learned early.
Alice attended Grass Lake school through 8th grade before transferring to Greenbush High School. She was Homecoming Queen her senior year and graduated with the class of 1965. Following graduation, Alice was Marshall County Dairy Princess.
When Alice started seeing John (Jack) Brazier, her life was changed forever. She was baptized and confirmed in the Catholic faith. September 10, 1966, Alice and Jack were united in marriage on a beautiful fall day at Blessed Sacrament Church, Greenbush. Alice and Jack enjoyed children and were blessed with two daughters: Angela Marie and Sheree Lynn. They were a hard-working young couple who were completing the process of building their dream home when tragedy struck.
February 11, 1976, started with Jack going fishing at Lake of the Woods and ended with his passing from a heart attack at the age of 31. Alice had just turned 29 and was left with two young girls to raise on her own. She was thankful for the family and friends who stepped in and provided the support that was needed. Another blow came when she lost her mom Helen the following May. During these years in Greenbush, Alice worked at the Greenbush Hospital and Nursing Home. She enjoyed working with the elderly and often spoke about how she would like to work in a nursing home again even when she was the person in nursing care.
In June of 1980, Alice moved her family to Thief River Falls. She supported all things her girls did whether it was music and sports, religious education, Girl Scouts or just fun activities. Alice bought a popup camper to give her girls that camping experience and an opportunity to explore. While she enjoyed camping, she did not enjoy backing that trailer. Alice worked many different jobs including for Narverud Cleaners, TG Sporting Goods and ran her own home cleaning business. While some people had houses so clean that you could eat off their kitchen floor, when Alice placed her home up for sale, the new buyers said Alice kept such a clean home that you could eat off of the garage floor.
In August of 1989 Alice, along with Sheree, moved to Salem, OR. Alice enjoyed the mild weather and the long growing season. She created a beautiful, landscaped yard while spending many, many hours outdoors. Alice enjoyed spending time exploring the Oregon coast. She worked for two different print shops – American Eagle and Your Town Press in Salem.
On June 29, 1991, Alice gained a son when Angie married Todd Vedbraaten. Alice became a grandmother on June 24, 1994. She would say that she wasn’t old enough to be a grandmother, but her daughter had a baby. Reese Margaret Jean was named after Grandma Alice.
Alice and Jerry Conover were married on February 25, 1995, and Alice gained an Oregon family. In June 1999, Alice, Jerry and Sheree moved back to Thief River Falls. She loved this time with her family and was grateful to have moved back when Cooper Todd John was born on November 16, 1999. Alice gained her second son on September 8, 2001, when Sheree married Travis Kotrba.
After returning to Thief River Falls, Alice worked at Arctic Cat in assembly. She was a strong worker doing a physically demanding job. Even so, she would spend her time away from work helping Angie, Sheree and their families. Work ethic and love of family were her priorities.
Alice enjoyed decorating her home, meeting people, and “coffeeing” with her neighbors. She loved it when people came to visit. It made her heart happy when the girls’ friends made themselves at home. Her expectation was that family never knocked on the door, they just walked right in. There were many pets in her life including a few cats, birds, two 55-gallon tanks with many fish, but her favorite was dogs. She even spent a few years raising dogs when her dogs MarLee and Maverick had litters of puppies. Card playing during the winter was a must with the family. She had an amazing green thumb with many lush house plants, beautiful flower beds and a big, successful vegetable garden. The garden led to many great meals as Alice was an excellent cook. She canned garden veggies and made homemade jams. Alice was an amazing seamstress making all of Angie and Sheree’s clothes until they were in elementary school. Throughout the years, she would make Halloween costumes, Easter dresses, and whatever the girls decided they wanted for special outfits.
She enjoyed music and there was often singing and dancing in the house. Alice also really enjoyed the music played in church. Alice was a member of St. Bernard’s Catholic Church in Thief River Falls. The biggest and best part of Alice’s life was being a mother and grandmother. Both Reese and Cooper spent endless hours at her home after school and during summer break. Just as she had her daughters, Alice supported everything her grandkids did by attending every event and activity in their life that she could. She was so proud of Reese and Cooper, and they feel blessed to have had Grandma Alice’s support in their lives.
In January 2020, Alice was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, which we all agree is a horrible disease and did not lead to the life Alice would want. In June 2021, Alice was admitted to Riverview Memory Care in Crookston where she resided until they closed. In April 2023, Alice moved to NorthStar Manor in Warren. The family would like to thank the care providers at both facilities along with Hospice of the Red River Valley for the excellent love and care they provided Alice. While our mom was the strongest person we knew, there is no beating Alzheimer’s. While Alice was born during a blizzard, she passed during a rainstorm. Alice’s fight ended on October 18, 2023.
Alice is survived by her daughters, Angie (Todd) Vedbraaten and Sheree (Travis) Kotrba all of Thief River Falls; grandchildren, Reese (Derek) Murray, Fargo, ND and Cooper Vedbraaten, Fort Cavazos, TX; her husband, Jerry Conover, Salem, OR. She is also survived by her brothers: Richard Kruta, Moorhead, John (June) Kruta, Thief River Falls, and Ted (Gail) Kruta, Strathcona; along with sister, Shirley (Joe) Burian, Badger. Additional survivors include in-laws: Jerome Brazier, Norwood Young America, Colleen (Duane) Lorenson, Greenbush, and Beth Brazier, Prior Lake. She is also survived by her stepchildren, Debbie (Russ) Weddle, Jefferson, OR, Michelle (Mike) Dalsaglio, Turner, OR, Jerry (Susan) Conover, Monmouth, OR and Scott (Maria) Conover, Salem, OR; along with step-grandchildren, and step-great-grandchildren. Other survivors include her many nieces, nephews, and a lifetime of friends.
Alice is preceded in death by her parents, George and Helen Kruta; her husband, John (Jack) Brazier; her sister and brother-in-law, Adeline (Addie) and Wally Lenoir; brother-in-law, Ronnie Brazier; sisters-in-law, Pat Kruta and Barb Brazier.
Visitation will be held from 5–7 p.m. with a 7 p.m. prayer service on Thursday, November 9, 2023 at Johnson Funeral Service in Thief River Falls.
Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 1:30 p.m. on Friday, November 10, 2023 with visitation one hour prior to the service, at St. Bernard’s Catholic Church in Thief River Falls, with Father Craig Vasek presiding. Burial will follow at Blessed Sacrament Cemetery in Greenbush.
Condolences may be sent at www.johnsonfuneralservice.com.
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