Joseph Kraft

Joseph S. Kraft, 82, left this life for his eternal resting place on January 24, 2009 after a short battle with cancer. Funeral services will be held at St. Peter & Paul’s Catholic Church in Strasburg, N.D. on Tuesday, January 27, 2009 at 10:30 AM with the Rev. Leonard Eckroth and Rev. Al Leary officiating. Burial will also take place at St. Peter & Paul’s Catholic Church, Strausburg, N.D. Visitation will be held Monday, January 26, 2009 from 1:00 PM until 4:00 PM at Eastgate Funeral Service, Bismarck, with a prayer service beginning at 2:00 PM. Visitation will resume at 6:00PM until 9:00 PM Monday, January 26, 2009 at the church in Strasburg, with a prayer service at 7:00 PM. Visitation also will continue one hour prior to the service at the church. Joe was born on February 12, 1926, son of Sylvester and Frances Moser Kraft. Joe was raised on a farm near Strasburg, N.D. where he attended country school. Joe joined the US Navy when he was 16. He served in the Navy during World War II for 3 years aboard on the USS Yorktown “Fighting Lady”. Joe completed his navel service and returned to Strasburg and began farming. He married Rose Mary Schatz on January 8, 1951. In 1957, Joe and Rose moved to the Kraft family farm east of Strasburg where they raised their 10 children. They remained on the farm until 1989 when they retired and moved to the City of Strasburg. Joe was an active member of the VFW, Lions Club, and Beaver Valley Horse Club. He enjoyed farming and watching his children grow. He especially enjoyed singing along with his kids as they played piano, guitar, and accordion. Joe and Rose loved traveling and they spent lots of time visiting friends and family. Three special trips they took were to attend reunions with his naval buddies. Grateful to have shared his life are his wife of 58 years, Rose Mary; 7 daughters, Delphine Bill Drew, San Leandro, CA, Debbie Randy Pate, Manitou, KY, Beverly Tom Kelsch, Fargo, N.D., Carleen Bob Buchholz, Lehr, N.D., Kathy Tom Meier, Lincoln, N.D., Mary Randy Ketterling, Zeeland, N.D., and Patty Rohrich fiancé Calvin Bosch, Linton, N.D.; and 3 sons, Gerry Cindy, Strasburg, N.D., Michael, Bismarck, N.D., and Tom April, Elkhorn, WI. He is also survived by 5 brothers, Ben Linda and Mike Marlys, Bismarck, N.D., Albert, Strasburg, N.D., Victor Linda, Milwaukee, WI, and Eugene Mattie, Minot, N.D.; and 8 sisters, Eleanor Samson, Lorraine Bill Moore, Viola Val Vetter, Fran Tom Schmaltz, and Jane Bosch, Bismarck, N.D., Helen McLeod, Milwaukee, WI, and Judy Mick Brick, Aberdeen, S.D., and Jolene Don Hahne, Lehr, N.D.; 29 grandchildren and 14 great grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents; an infant sister Rose; his son-in-law, Robert Rohrich; and his grandsons Robert and Thomas Kelsch.

Joseph Kraft

February 12, 1926 - January 24, 2009