Beth Ann (Kruse) Horner of San Angelo, passed away suddenly of a heart attack on September 5, 2021, at the age of 67. She was born on September 2, 1954, to Robert and Latrelle Shirley Kruse in Lawton, Oklahoma. Beth entered Heaven as a countless number of fellow singers celebrated her arrival.
Beth Horner was the daughter of a preacher and although she was born in Oklahoma, she would tell everyone that she was a tried-and-true Texan. Beth grew up as the oldest of three children: having one sister, Kim Massey and one brother, Mark “Bubba” Kruse.
Beth graduated from Abilene Christian University (ACU) with a bachelor’s degree in Piano Performance and a minor in Vocal Performance. Later in life, Beth would also complete a master’s degree in Music Education from Stephen F Austin University.
On May 16, 1975, Beth married the love of her life, Bryan Horner, and in 1980, she gave birth to their first child. From that point forward, she devoted her life to raising her three children with Bryan. Beth cherished Bryan and always called him “Shug”. She loved their time together whether they were travelling the world, working on one of the many projects that Beth found for them to do together, or simply listening to a Wall football game on the radio at home. They also loved to work together at their ranch in Brownwood, Tx. It was Beth and her granddaughter Avalon that named the Ranch Horner Heritage Ranch. If you know Beth well, you know that driving the tractor at the ranch was one of her favorite joys and it never failed to put a huge smile on her face. She actively named many areas on the Ranch and made labels with her beautiful handwriting for as many parts as she could. Her children, grandchildren, and generations to come will always refer to the area with the biggest tree as the “Enchanted Forest”. Beth and Bryan exemplified what a Christian marriage should look like to all of those around them.
Besides family, music was Beth’s passion! In her younger years, she was actively involved in Mason High School and loved being in the band. She was proud of her time as a Hilltop singer at ACU and often talked about her time travelling in the summer of ‘1974 on a USO tour.
Beth spent 3 years teaching music and directing many musicals at the Immanual Baptist School in El Paso. She also spent 4 years directing the San Angelo Singing Girls Choir and 16 years as the Elementary music teacher for Wall, Texas. She loved her friends and students at Wall dearly. Beth loved teaching elementary students, and seeing the kid’s eyes light up with joy and excitement at hearing all kinds of music. She looked forward to drive your tractor to school day, and guessing when the first frost of the year was going to be. She was one of the few people who could honestly say that she loved her job!
Due to health reasons, Beth made the tough decision to retire from Wall in 2020. After powering through a quadruple bypass and multiple knee surgeries, Beth immediately heard another calling to share her love of music with the world. Recently, Beth was excited to be sharing her passion for music locally at the San Angelo Broadway Academy! In her short time there, she had a full schedule of eager children that loved learning from her. Beth’s passion and enthusiasm was contagious, and you couldn’t help but let it rub off on you!
Beth was a talented pianist and would guest play for local churches often. She loved Christmas programs and participated in her church praise team. She even created an a cappella singing workshop called SkySong. She was committed to teaching children’s Bible classes because she believed that her talents should be used first as a conduit to the Lord. Beth’s passion for children to know Jesus and worship through song is one of the most inspiring and beautiful parts of her. She sang often and in all kinds of genres. She loved country western two stepping, concerts, Sweet Adeline’s, Girls Choir and was a talented singer and song writer herself! She wrote hundreds of pieces of original music but was so humble that most people didn’t know this about her. Yes, it is safe to say that Beth Horner loved music and she was good at it!
Another thing about Beth that might surprise people is that she spoke fluent Spanish. Just like she did with her music, Beth first looked to use her language skills for God. She was very passionate about helping the people of Belize. Beth traveled to Belize on mission trips for over 15 years to serve on medical missions. She always wanted to bring other people wherever she went, and Belize was no exception. Over the years she convinced Bryan and her kids to join her on some of the trips. One Christmas, Beth encouraged the extended family to collect sunglasses and toothbrushes for Belize in lieu of presents. She was generous towards so many missions around the world.
Some of her favorite things to do with her grandkids was to read them stories and cook together. She often made homemade sourdough bread, armadillo eggs and more recently, lots of communion bread. The past 5 years, she and Bryan would host a Cousin Camp for all their grandchildren. The kids dressing up in Nonny’s colorful wardrobe was always a big highlight of the weekend. The kids would also apply Mermaid makeup with Nonny’s hair chalk and top it off with costume jewelry too. Bryan and Beth would take all the grandchildren to the nature center, do a community service project together and play on the lake. By the end of Cousin Camp, the house would be a huge mess, but all Beth saw was the smiles on her grandchildren’s faces.
Beth leaves us with a legacy of loving people and loving the Lord. She lived life with happiness and never let the small things get to her. She constantly lost glasses, left shoes everywhere, and misplaced her phone and car keys. None of those things seemed to bother her; she would just laugh it off with a smile on her face! She knew she was going to Heaven and didn’t have time to worry about little things!
Beth loved nothing more than having a house full of people. She would often make a huge pot of chili with a recipe that was mostly from memory and taste tests. When all her children and grandchildren were together, she would usually look around and say, “this is what we always wanted.” Beth had a way of making everyone feel welcome and important at her house. All her children’s friends were always treated like family, and she was considered a second mom by so many. There were many times that the family would show up for an after-church meal or a special event, only to be greeted by strangers that Beth had invited. This is who Beth Horner was! She never met a stranger, and she was the embodiment of “the more the merrier”! If you were at her house, then you were family.
Beth loved to laugh and often read Dave Barry books and listened to Weird Al Yankovic songs. With her laugh, she made most of the men in her life believe they were successful comedians. Everyone felt special around Beth.
She will be greatly missed but is now in the presence of the One she loved the most.
She is preceded in death by her parents. She is survived by Bryan (Shug); her beloved husband and soulmate of 46 years. She is also survived by her brother Mark Kruse and her sister, Kim Massey. Left to carry on her legacy are her children Beau Horner and his wife Tash, Hayley Rodgers and her husband Adam, Brady Horner and his wife Briana. As well as 8 grandchildren: Avalon Rodgers, Layla Horner, Paxton Horner, Archer Rodgers, Castle Rodgers, Quintus Horner, Audrey Horner, and Teresia Horner along with many loving cousins, nieces, and nephews.
In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to San Angelo Broadway Academy, San Angelo Christian Academy, the Wall Library, and North Belize Medical Mission.
A Celebration of Life will be held for Beth on Sunday September 12, 2021 at 2:00PM at the Johnson Street Church of Christ. After the Celebration, the family will welcome guests in the Family Room of Johnson Street Church and serve light refreshments.
Beth was blessed by skilled, responsive, community professionals in her time of need. The family deeply appreciates each and every one. Our deep gratitude is extended to Dr. Kelly Koening and Dr. Ty Houghston.
Family and friends may share online condolences at www.harper-funeralhome.com.
Memorial Service
Sunday, September 12, 2021
2:00PM
Johnson Street Church of Christ
2200 Johnson Avenue
San Angelo, TX 76904
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