She studied at the New York School of Fine and Applied Arts (Parsons School of Design) from 1927-1930. She also taught at the Paris, France ateliers of the school. She later worked on the General Motors exhibit at the 1939 Worlds Fair in New York and in advertising agencies. She specialized in water color paintings of interiors and exteriors of homes. Her largest collection of Room Portraits remains at the studios of the interior decorating firm of McMillan Inc., in New York City. She was a member of Vermont Artists, Inc. Mrs. Krusen is survived by her daughter Sallie Krusen Riester, granddaughter Lauren Riester Pinchbeck, and great-granddaughter Avery Elizabeth Riester, all of San Antonio, TX and nephew Edward Hoopes IV of Pittsburgh, PA and Boca Grande, FL.