KRAUS, Geraldine “Gerry”, age 93, passed away February 23, 2026, beloved wife of the late Marvin Kraus, loving mother of Rabbi Jonathan (Maia) Brumberg-Kraus, Christopher (Bari) Kraus, and Rabbi Matthew (the late Rabbi Sissy Coran) Kraus, dear grandmother of Zoya (Louis Haling) Brumberg-Kraus, Max (Allison Jones) Brumberg-Kraus, Emilee (Jake) Maxwell, Cohen Kraus, Jacob (Kim) Kraus-Preminger, Rabbi Shirah Kraus, Micah Kraus, and Eden Kraus, great-grandmother of 5, sister of the late Graham Friedenn and Marvin Friedenn.
Gerry was born to Reuben and Anne Friedenn on March 22, 1932 in Lewiston, Maine. She was the middle child, with an older brother Graham and a younger brother Marvin. Gerry attended Boston Girls Latin School, Worcester Classical High School, and Smith College all in the New England area. She really valued her New England roots, and continued relationships with close friends from high school and college. Gerry had a profound love for Cincinnati, especially North Avondale. She served as the coordinator for the North Avondale Neighborhood Association. She sent out a regular newsletter and worked tirelessly to preserve the beauty, diversity, equity, and inclusiveness of the neighborhood. She also served the City of Cincinnati through her environmental activism, Board of Health, Parks and Zoning, and even ran for city council. She was awarded with a key to the city for all her hard work to make Cincinnati a better place. On a personal level, she was an active member of the Clinton Hills Swim Club and the PTA of the North Avondale School. Gerry also loved the Cincinnati Reds along with the other Cincinnati teams. She was a big fan of Joe Burrow and rooted for the Bengals, especially when she saw how it united the City of Cincinnati. A person of action, she was remarkably persistent. Every Thanksgiving, Gerry shared a JFK quote: “As we expressed our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them” (1963). Gerry leaves behind a beautiful legacy and will be truly missed by all.
Funeral services will be held on Thursday, February 26th, 2026, at 2:00PM with visitation beginning at 1:00PM at Weil Kahn Funeral Home, 8350 Cornell Road Cincinnati, Ohio 45249. Services will be LIVE STREAMED. Burial will follow at United Jewish Cemetery of Walnut Hills, 3400 Montgomery Road Cincinnati, Ohio 45207. Shiva will be observed on Thursday and Saturday night from 6:00-8:30PM with minyan beginning at 7:00PM at Rabbi Matthew Kraus’ Residence. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions to North Avondale Neighborhood Association (NANA), Rockdale Temple, or the environmental or arts charity of one’s choice would be greatly appreciated.