Friends, colleagues remember UW-Madison electrician

From years of supporting racing teams to the meticulous attention he paid to his home renovations, much of Brad Krause’s life involved working with his hands.

Krause, an electrician for the University of Wisconsin–Madison, died on Tuesday, July 26 as a result of electrocution while working in the Humanities Building. He was 40 years old.

A memorial service will take place on Tuesday, Aug. 2, at 10 a.m. at the Tuschen-Newcomer Funeral Home in Sun Prairie, with a visitation at the funeral home from 5-7 p.m. on Monday, Aug. 1. More details will be published in the Sunday, July 31 Wisconsin State Journal.

“We have sadly lost a friend and a great co-worker,” says Faramarz Vakili, associate director of the UW–Madison Physical Plant. “Brad was a hard working, competent, and caring member of our organization and no doubt, this loss has a huge impact on every one of us. Our thoughts and prayers are with Brad’s family and friends.”

During the past seven years, Krause had handled over 2,000 work orders across campus.

He began his career with an electrical apprenticeship after returning from a brief Army stint in Iraq, near the end of Operation Desert Storm. Operating his own company for two years, he worked for several union contractors before getting hired at UW–Madison.

Friend Joe Bonfield, a steamfitter for UW Hospital, got to know Krause 20 years ago through their fathers. The two traveled to midget auto racing events throughout the Midwest, serving on several race crews. Krause also took on active roles as a race official, souvenir vendor and avid fan.

“It wasn’t so much about the racing, just about the fun doing it,” says Bonfield. “He’d worked with one team and it just wasn’t any fun anymore, so he switched to another.”

Over the last few years, Krause had scaled back on other activities to spend more time on projects at home.

According to Bonfield, Krause was a perfectionist when working on his home.  One day, he’d lay down bathroom tile to exacting specifications, only to chisel it up the next day – and haul out bucket after bucket of debris – because it wasn’t quite right.

Engaged for several years to fiancée Rochelle Chadwick, he enjoyed spending time with her sons, doting on the new grandchild in the family.