About Ben Kruse

Ben Kruse 1976-2004

One of the people who helped come up with the idea and was there to help organize in our first four summers was my brother, Ben. He loved our tournament because he knew it was honest and truly something good; from the heart. It was always a reunion of friendships for him with friends flying in from San Francisco, Oregon, as well as New York. It was a celebration of life and at the same time, some hard work and dedication to helping other people. Ben is no longer with us due to a tragic accident in August of 2004 that took him from us suddenly. His memorial fund fittingly was 18 FORE Life and brought in over $20,000 to the charity that he loved. That is something that he would be very proud of. His spirit will carry on and his name will help our charity grow and raise even more money in the future.

The Ben Kruse 18 FORE Life Charity Golf Event will be held next June 29-30. Mark your calendars and join us for a special weekend of events. Ben and I always dreamed of making this charity bigger than other people assumed we could. Now I am very determined to see those dreams come true. With Ben’s help and guidance, we will do just that. He will be smiling big watching us each step of the way. An example I would like to share with you is Norm Stewart coming to join us in Dexter. Ben mentioned this the very first year when we were a very small charity with little direction. In 2005, it happened and was a dream come true.

To add a little more about my brother and best friend: I was six years older than him. He always wanted to “tag” along and hang out with me and my older friends. I am so thankful that overall, I didn’t mind him being around. We grew up laughing, fighting, competing, but most of all loving. We developed a relationship that was a unique one built on friendship, love, support, and respect for one another.

One of the many gifts Ben gave to me over the years would be the enthusiasm for golf in which he forced me into! Ben always said I would play and I always said that he was crazy. As usual, Ben wasn’t wrong. He not only got me playing and enjoying it, but took on the task of teaching me, along with my Dad, Mom, Amy, Kerri, Kip, and countless others, how to improve. His patience was incredible, his knowledge and feel for the game was awesome. His temper was non-existent, something he failed to pass on to me. His swing was almost perfect and something I can still picture vividly in my memory.

>The golf course grew into a place we could spend time together. We enjoyed each time out. The laughs, the high-fives, the hooting and hollering, beer drinking, the broken clubs are all memories that will live on forever. This spirit is what our charity is all about. Ben personified so many things that are good in the world. He enjoyed being around other people, sharing good times, helping others, playing golf, and that is what 18 FORE Life is about. We miss seeing him out there. I miss the hugs and high fives, along with the great advice and the opportunity to see that beautiful, fundamentally perfect golf swing. But you can know that Ben will be there watching every birdie or eagle putt, along with every horrible shot that brings hysterical laughter from everyone present. I said at the 2005 banquet, “He will laugh his ass of at all of the horrible shots, but when the exciting ones are made, he will be looking for someone to hi-five!” He is smiling that smile down on all of us. We miss you Buzz!

Making Heaven Even Better 
By: Scott Kruse
The boy wore a grin that made us wonder what he’d been up to 
He had a smile from ear to ear, that could light up any room 
And he’d wave his biggest wave to anyone who would pass him by 
Now he’s found a home in Heaven, where only Angels fly 

He had a laid back streak that could easily stretch across a county line 
But he always got his work done, and always seemed to have spare time 
And in his eyes the sun was shining bright, no matter what the weather 
Now he’s found a home in Heaven, he’ll make that Place even better 

If he called you friend, you need to know that’s what he lived for 
While some folks think you can have too many, he always looked for one more 
So when you hear that song or stay out too long, you’ll be having that last one together 
This time he had to go home early, he’s making Heaven even better 

Growing up he was so small, but having him around was awfully neat 
I heard he wanted to be just like me, they called us Pete and repeat 
Just like twins, we were best of friends, always wanting to be together 
Now he’s on a fairway in Heaven, thinking the ball carries so much better 

Mom and Dad he loved you more than you could ever know 
He loved to tell people about that love and wasn’t afraid to let it show 
Raising me you did OK, but with him you did even better 
Now he’s found his home in Heaven, where we’ll all be one day together 

He married his high school sweetheart and never even loved anyone else 
He put that sweet girl before his friends, and way before himself 
And the love they made will carry on and it will live forever and ever 
He’s smiling down on her from Heaven, he’s making that Place even better 

Now I always knew that Heaven was the perfect place 
Knowing Jesus would greet us just outside those gates 
And seeing God face to face would just be icing on the cake 
Along with being with my loved ones……forever 
Last week my brother left us, he’s making Heaven even better 
Last week my best friend left us, he’s making Heaven even better 

I Wish You Didn’t Have To Go 
By: Scott Kruse 

The sun came out today 
I never thought it would 
I felt a smile on my face 
I didn’t think it could 

And I’m doing my best, to take this all one day at a time 
But it gets so hard, with all of these thoughts cluttering my mind 

I wish you didn’t have to go 
I wish we could have said goodbye
I wish Jesus didn’t call you home 
And I wish my eyes would forget how to cry 
They say time will heal everything 
But oh….I just don’t know 
I wish you didn’t have to go 
I wish you didn’t have to go 

It rained like hell today 
It must have been your turn to cry 
I always thought it’d be that way 
A flood will fit my state of mind 

And I’m doing my best to find a way to carry on 
But it gets so hard, when I face the fact that you’ll be forever gone 

I wish you didn’t have to go 
I wish we could have said goodbye 
I wish Jesus didn’t call you home 
And I wish my eyes would forget how to cry 
They say time will heal everything 
But time has never moved so slow 
I wish you didn’t have to go 
I wish you didn’t have to go 

Why would God give me this mountain I’m not sure I can climb 
Seeing pictures of you just brings me to my knees 
I’m not sure I can find the strength to make it to another day 
Its not memories of you, its you……I need