Sharon Kyker Krauss

Sharon Kyker Krauss

September 19, 1943 – January 1, 2025

Growing up Sharon Kyker Krauss split her time between Lincoln, Nebraska and her parents’ farm near Fairbury, Nebraska. Her parents, Franklin Byrd Kyker and Jeannette May Kyker were educators in the Lincoln public schools during the school year and farmed in the summer.

As a kid and then teenager, Sharon was active in 4H. She loved and trained American Quarter Horses. She rode and showed horses for 4H at the Nebraska State Fair. She won many prizes for her work with her horses, particularly excelling at barrel racing. At the age of 17, Sharon acquired a horse she nicknamed, White Horse. She and White Horse had a special working relationship and close connection that lasted 28 years. Sharon was intuitive and loving with animals, especially horses, dogs, cats and the wild birds she avidly watched later in her life at her many strategically placed bird feeders.

Sharon graduated in 1969 from the University of Nebraska Lincoln (UNL) with a degree in Sociology from the College of Arts and Science. While pledging at UNL Sharon was urged by her prospective sorority sisters to enter the Miss Lincoln competition. She won and was named Miss Lincoln. Her talent was singing, and, for a time, she had seriously considered a career in opera.

Also, while at UNL, Sharon met George Krauss, a UNL Law Student. She and George married on June 1, 1969, in Lincoln. Their daughter, Kate, was born in 1971. The family moved to Omaha in 1972. Sharon was a loving and devoted mother to Kate and introduced her to all her creative interests in the community. Later, when Kate went to college in New York, Sharon and George were frequent visitors to Manhattan where they all had some adventures together and partook in the culture of the city.

Sharon’s projects and interests were vast and inspired by her creative vision and unceasing desire to make the world beautiful and better. She enjoyed interior design, politics, art, literature, theater, bridge and gourmet cooking. She volunteered with the Junior League, at Joslyn Art Museum, The Symphony, The Emmy Gifford Children’s Theater (where she was on board), Central High School PEP, the Loveland Garden Club and Omaha Law League. Her love of movies and art house cinema extended to supporting Filmstreams in Omaha.

While she was a member and sometimes officer of the Loveland Garden Club, Sharon enjoyed participating in and organizing programs, and traveling to flower shows, near and far. She and her friend, Cindy Hartman, had a lot of fun together designing and problem solving when they entered several regional floral arrangement competitions as a team. Both were pleased to earn an honorable mention or two.

Participating in four different bridge groups and playing at a very high level gave Sharon the opportunity to regularly be with a host of long-time friends who all liked a good game. These friends and groups were great entertainment and support for each other for decades. Sharen valued the camaraderie and kinship they offered and was steadfast in her dedication to her friends.

Over the years Sharon created many lovely homes for her family. Her skill with design combined with her personal challenge of creating beauty was, for her, a driving force. Her talent was especially evident in landscaping and when she conceived and had built her fabulous (though not quite wraparound) porch for her and George’s farmhouse near Fort Calhoun, Nebraska.

Sharon cared for her aunt, her parents and George’s parents in their old age. She also arranged and facilitated moving both mothers in and out of several different housing situations, always making their homes comfortable and inviting. Sharon was conscientious and unhesitating about helping her family and her friends, too.

Sharon left us too soon. Her insightful conversation, wonderful laugh, and three person (plus pets) hugs are sorely missed. She is survived by her husband of 55 years, George H. Krauss; her daughter, Katherine A. Krauss.

VISITATION: Thursday, January 16, 2025, from 5pm to 7pm at the West Center Chapel.

GRAVESIDE SERVICE: Friday, January 17th at 1pm at Forest Lawn Memorial Park.

In lieu of flowers, memorials are suggested to Lauritzen Gardens and Planned Parenthood.