Passion for excellence drove businessman, philanthropist and former Milwaukee Wave owner Charles Krause

Never one to waste time or effort, Charles Krause set some goals after he was diagnosed with brain cancer in the spring of 2017.

One was to see his granddaughter graduate from the Medical College of Wisconsin. He proudly attended the ceremony in which Kate Krause was among graduates honored on May 25 at the Milwaukee Theater.

He also hoped to attend the June 21st start of the 50th anniversary season of the singing and dancing troupe Kids from Wisconsin, an organization he loved and supported for years.

Krause, a Milwaukee philanthropist, businessman and one-time owner of the Milwaukee Wave professional soccer team, almost achieved that final goal as well, said his wife, Roz. Charles Krause, of Mequon, died Saturday. He was 85.

“He was just a wonderful guy, and a mentor to an awful lot of people in Milwaukee,” said Roz, who first met Charles in junior high school in Milwaukee and married him 62 years ago after he graduated from Yale University with an economics degree.

Krause, who was an executive at the family business, Krause Milling Co., and later ran the Glendale-based business consulting firm Krause Consultants Ltd., had a drive for excellence in whatever he did, Roz said.

“His slogan was, ‘Good enough is not enough. It’s ever the enemy of the best,’ ” she said.

Krause was a major supporter of the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra in addition to Kids from Wisconsin. He was “beloved within the organization,” said Mark Niehaus, executive director of the Milwaukee Symphony

“Charlie held many different positions at the symphony as a volunteer leader,” said Niehaus. “He has been the board chair, he’s been a member of the board for years, he was at one point the interim executive director, the interim vice president of development. I joke and say he basically did everything but play in the orchestra.”

When Niehaus became executive director six years ago, Krause was an enormous help, Niehaus said.

“He was amazing to me when I first became executive director. He taught me a lot about fundraising and he was really a mentor to me,” Niehaus said. “He was very interested in us doing everything the right way, and doing it classy.”

Krause’s sister, Carol Wythes, said her brother was the type of leader who never grabbed the credit for success. Niehaus agreed with that assessment.

“He was always about setting it up and making other people look good,” Niehaus said.

To honor Krause, the symphony has named its vice president of development chair the “Charlie Krause Chair.”

“So for forever, our top development officer will sit in the Charlie Krause Chair,” Niehaus said.

After joining the Kids from Wisconsin Board in 2010, he served as vice president and president and two years ago started an endowment fund to ensure the future of the organization. He initiated leadership training for troupe members and made a point of interacting with all of the performers each year.

"Charlie was a board member that any executive director would appreciate. His vast knowledge, dedication, and a 'board doer' is something I grew to appreciate more and more each year I had the privilege of working with him," said Kids from Wisconsin Executive Director Tina Weiss.

With much determination, Weiss said, Krause was able to live long enough for the first day of rehearsal camp where troupe members begin putting together their performance.

Krause "will be with us in spirit as we enter this 50th year of performing," said Weiss.

Also among his charitable efforts was the Milwaukee Urban Soccer Collaborative, which makes soccer leagues possible for inner city youths.

Krause became the owner of the Milwaukee Wave in 2004 when one of his four children, son Tim, who acquired the Wave indoor team before the 2001-’02 season, moved to London for business. Charles had been a major investor. Charles sold the Wave in 2009.

In 1995, he wrote a book, “Fastrack Business Management: The Minute MBA,” which was aimed at helping company leaders adapt quickly to changing environments.

Roz Krause said her husband possessed “just a passion and drive.”

“Whatever he got into, he wanted it to be the best,” she said.

Wythes said plans for a service at St. Christopher’s Episcopal Church in River Hills haven’t yet been set.