A commentary by the outgoing board chair of Our Place.
Dr. Robert (Robin) Krause, who died peacefully at home in Victoria on Dec. 6 at 97 years, carried a vision for the well-being of our most marginalized citizens, and Victoria is all the better for it.
“Robin was a friend and chair of the Open Door ministry,” said Rev. Allen Tysick, former executive director of Our Place, and known as Reverend Al to those he helps.
“He negotiated the amalgamation of the Open Door Ministry and the Upper Room to become Our Place. His sweat and tears are in Our Place’s foundation.”
Personally, he reminded me of the biblical character Barnabas. The name means “son of encouragement,” which he was to me and to countless other people.
He encouraged us by taking a genuine interest and also by setting an inspiring example. His example was the main reason I agreed to serve on the Our Place board.
Before the creation of Our Place in 2005, Krause served as chair of Open Door for 10 years. He saw the Open Door move from upstairs at Metropolitan Church (now the Conservatory of Music) to the B.C. Hydro building at Pembroke and Store, to the Gospel Chapel on Pandora, and then to the current Our Place location on Pandora. His deep caring, dry wit and perseverance paid off.
A board member from those days, Dawn Williamson, notes: “In his career in medicine, Robin was a highly regarded, kind and compassionate man. He served The Open Door and Our Place with great organizational skills and that same kindness and compassion.”
Before retiring to Victoria in the early 1990s, Krause was a doctor extraordinaire. He focused on the person in the patient.
Born in the Kingdom of Fife, Scotland, he graduated from Edinburgh University. He practised medicine in the U.K. until he and his wife, Enid, arrived in Canada in the 1960s and he joined a practice in Winnipeg with his sponsor to Canada, M.D. Richard (Dick) Nash.
Krause was president of the Manitoba College of Family Physicians in 1973-74.
In the 1980s, Krause joined the University of Manitoba Department of Family Practice. There, he created the Human Values program in 1986, which became U of M Medical Humanities. Each year, a prize in his name is given to a medical student “demonstrating leadership in ethical and legal aspects of good practice.”
Krause was the Canadian Family Physician of the Year in 1981 and national president of the College of Family Medicine in 1982.
In 1992, he received the Canadian Medical Association Distinguished Service Award for Manitoba.
After retiring and moving to Victoria, Krause was named to the organizing committee for the 1994 Commonwealth Games. He was a member of First Metropolitan United Church, where he served in leadership roles and took part in the Pringle Bells and a men’s discussion group.
“He was a Christian in the true sense of the word,” Tysick said. “His faith gave him the strength to give his life to the most vulnerable in the city.”
Tysick noted that Krause will join his late wife, Enid. “I am sure she will have a double scotch, no ice, awaiting him,” Tysick said.
Krause is survived by his children Susan, Gillian and Robin, 11 grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren. A celebration of life will be held in the spring.
Even a week before he died, in failing health, Krause wanted to hear updates about Our Place. He was humbly proud of all that Our Place has become.
Donations in memory of Krause can be made to Our Place, by going to ourplacesociety.com or by phoning 250-940-5060.
