Dušan “Dan” Kraus

Beloved dad and grandpa Dušan “Dan” Kraus passed away in the early hours of December 28th. His family takes comfort in knowing he was definitely ready to move on. They will miss his dry, dark and punny sense of humor, which never failed to make others laugh. When asked what he wanted for Christmas, he responded, "a coffin." Oh, he was truly one of a kind!

Dan was born in Trenčín, Slovakia, to Czech parents, his dad a high school principal and his mom a teacher. During World War II, his family was forced out of their Slovakia home by the Nazis and had to return to Prague. His father struggled to find work, food rations were strict, and money was tight. Despite challenges, Dan graduated with a doctorate in veterinary medicine and started his career as a translator of British medical journals.

He met Alice while playing tennis in early 1959, and they married later that year. When their only daughter Sylvia was born several years later, they could not bear the thought of raising a child in a communist country and began bravely planning their escape. Knowing the government would never grant travel visas to an entire family, they were forced to flee separately. Dan joined a tour group to Yugoslavia and slipped away in the middle of the night, spending two months in a refugee camp in Greece before being granted paperwork from the American Embassy in Athens to come to the U.S. His boat ticket was a gift from the World Council of Churches. Meanwhile, Alice and Sylvia fled to Germany and then on to the U.S. with the help of Alice’s mother. Miraculously, the family was reunited in Santa Monica in December 1966. Dan and Alice were finally able to visit the Czech Republic in the 1990s after the fall of communism.

In the U.S., Dan worked as a USDA meat inspector for 20 years, and for the California Department of Agriculture for another 19 years. Notably, he received an award in 2003 for helping to eradicate Newcastle Disease.

An avid traveler, Dan fulfilled his lifelong dream of visiting all seven continents, with Antarctica completing the list in 2005. Together he and Alice traveled to South Africa, Turkey, China, Brazil, Australia, New Zealand and Canada, as well as many European countries. They also spent time in their beloved hometown of Prague, where they enjoyed going to the theater and visiting with friends.

He was a voracious reader, excellent chess player, and a big fan of New Orleans jazz and big band music. Dan was a devoted husband, father, and grandfather who lived for his family. He and Alice were married for more than 61 years. His greatest joy was being together with his family, and he loved nothing more than treating them to a meal out.

Dušan was preceded in death in 2021 by his wife Alice née Suesslandová. He is survived by his daughter Sylvia (Bob) Walke and granddaughters Cassie Walke, Jillian (Adrian) Chavez, and Hayley (Ed) Dearien. The family would like to thank the caring staff at the Thousand Oaks Reserve and Buena Vista Hospice.

Precious grandpa, may you enjoy the best fruit dumplings, books and jazz music heaven has to offer. Rest in love.

Vždy zůstane v našich srdcích – He will live in our hearts forever