Aida B. Kraus
July 1929 – November 2022
Aida was the only child of industrialist Karl Baumbusch and his wife Franziska (Putzs), who was a jeweler and watchmaker who had taken over her father’s business in Karlsbad, German-Bohemia. Being the only child, Aida went through early training at her father’s business, graduating from business college (Handelsakademie at Karlsbad), and gaining business and public speaking experience that would prove beneficial during her life in America.
Aida and her husband, Ludwig, who worked for the U.S. occupational forces after the war, found American friends who helped them achieve emigration. The young couple with two little children came to Milwaukee, WI in 1955. Hard work during the first 10 years placed them both not only in good administrative positions, but their knowledge and experience with skiing made it easy to certify with the Pacific NW Ski Instructors Association, giving them an additional part time income source as ski instructors. Eventually, Ludwig worked in Salem, OR as plant superintendent for Boise Cascade and Aida as secretary to the Advisory Committee on Synthetic Chemicals in the Environment under Governor Thomas McCall. From there they moved to Mt. Rose Ski Resort in Lake Tahoe where they took over the general management of the corporation. Eventually, Aida retired as Director of Marketing from Mt. Rose and had a ski run named after her, Aida’s, on the mountain.
Because their sons and their families had settled in Washington State, Aida and Ludwig retired in Birch Bay. The couple spent 25 years boating the Inside Passage to Glacier Bay before and during their retirement years. They enjoyed hiking and skiing in the Sierra and Cascade mountains and boated extensively the entire Inside Passage during the summer months. Throughout their lives they traveled in Europe and the South Sea Islands.
During the last years of her life, Aida enjoyed walks along the Birch Bay berm and when that was no longer possible, she enjoyed driving her scooter along the shore. Aida was a loving wife, adoring mother, wonderful Oma, and phenomenal great-Oma. She was resilient when faced with adversity and persevered with optimism in any situation that came her way. All of this and more is why she will be so greatly missed by family and friends.
Aida is preceded in death by her husband Ludwig Kraus (1928-2011), her oldest son Professor Michael Kraus (1951-2012) and son Henry Kraus (1954-2014), and is survived by her grandchildren Erik Kraus (Sandra) and her great-grandchildren Brooklyn and Kendall, of Auburn, CA, and her grandson Christopher Kraus (Tessa), of Ellensburg, WA. A celebration of life with friends and family to take place in the summer of 2023.
