Patricia Rose Kraus

Patricia “Trish” Rose Kraus, née Steffes, 85, passed away peacefully on Thursday, July 16, 2026, in Lakewood, Colorado. Born May 2, 1941, Trish grew up in central Wisconsin near Lamartine and Fond du Lac. She graduated from St. Mary’s Springs Academy High School (Fond du Lac) in 1959. In 1964, she had her first child, Rosemary MacCallum, née Kraus, and in 1967, she had her second child, Joseph Kraus. She lived the majority of her adult life in Janesville from 1976 until 2017 when she moved out to Colorado to be closer to her son, daughter-in-law, and grandson. For many years, she worked in Mercy Hospital as a pharmacy tech. Trish loved camping, naturalist painting, listening to a wide variety of music, dancing, and reading voraciously about nature, science, culture, history, and science fiction. She was a long-time volunteer for the Democratic Party of Wisconsin. She also enjoyed watching tennis and the Green Bay Packers.

She was preceded in death by her sister Joan Steffes, her brother Richard Steffes, and her parents Al and Louise Steffes. She is survived by her sisters Marianna Gyger, née Steffes, Susan Steffes, her brother Michael Steffes, her daughter Rosemary MacCallum, son-in-law Andrew MacCallum, son Joseph Kraus, daughter-in-law Melinda Kraus, and her grandson Justin Kraus.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to the Alzheimer's Association of Colorado (or any regional chapter of your choosing.) Trish will be buried next to her beloved sister Joan Steffes at the Calvary Cemetery in Fond du Lac. A private family gathering will be held at a later date.