Charles G. Krause

Mr. Charles G. Krause, 84, of Great Valley, NY died Sunday, June 25, 2017 at the Olean General Hospital, Olean, NY.

Born March 15, 1933 in Salamanca, NY, he was the son of the late Vernet and Christina Nitz Krause. He was married on May 3, 1958 to the former Hildagarde Nannen, who survives.

Mr. Krause was a graduate of Ellicottville Central School, Class of 1950.

He had been employed as a lumber inspector at the former CB Norton. After CB Norton was sold, he went to work for Donver Inc. Soon after he joined VA Krause Construction as Vice President and set up the aggregate plant and operated it for several years until illness set in and he sold to Gernatt Asphalt Products. Charley later became a salesman for Gernatt in eastern Pennsylvania.

Charley served as a town board member for the Town of Great Valley and then became Town Supervisor for 18 years. He then became a Cattaraugus County Legislator for 8 years. He was on the boards of the Seneca Trail Resource Conservation and Development Council, the Southern Tier Regional and Developmental Board, where he received the Warren C. Cobb award, and the Cattaraugus County Rural Design and Commercial/Industrial Board, where he received the Randall Arendt award. He was a Route 219 Association of Western NY Director for the Cattaraugus County Soil & Water Conservation District and served on the Southern Tier Western Development Foundation. Charley also served for 35 years as the President of Green Cemetery Association. He was a member of the former Salamanca Masonic Lodge #239 F&AM and currently the Great Valley Masonic Lodge #1178 F&AM, the Salamanca Kiwanis Club, and was a past member of the Cattaraugus County Shriners Club, Kart Corp, and drove lead car, Jamestown Consistatory, the Buffalo branch of the Shriners Club.

His hobby was woodcrafting and he owned antique cars.

Surviving besides his wife of 59 years are: a brother, Loren (Margaret) Krause, Great Valley, NY; a sister, Mary Frank, Little Valley, NY; several nieces and nephews.

He was predeceased by a brother, Howard Krause in 2014.

Friends may call at the St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, Ellicottville, NY on Thursday, June 29, 2017 from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m., at which time funeral services will be held with Rev. Daniel Buringrud officiating.

Funeral arrangements are under the direction of the O’Rourke & O’Rourke Inc Funeral Home, 25 River Street, Salamanca, NY.

Burial will be in Green Cemetery.

Members of the Great Valley Masonic Lodge #1178 F&AM will be performing services Thursday at 12:45 p.m.

E-condolences can be sent to john@orourke-orourke.com or posted to facebook.com/onofh.