Vernon C. Kraft

VERNON CHARLES KRAFT was born on December 19, 1936, to Carl and Alma (Asper) Kraft on the family farm in Dexter Township, Mower County, Minnesota, where he lived the first nine months of his life. He then moved with his parents to the village of Dexter, MN. Vernon was baptized in the Lutheran faith on January 31, 1937 and confirmed on July 29, 1951. Vern grew to boyhood in the village where his father owned a pool hall for ten years. His mother was diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease when he was eight years old. Vern’s father died an untimely death at the age of 58. When his mother became bedridden, Vern moved to the home of his sister, Margaret, and her husband Wayne Cooper, where he lived until he graduated from high school. When he was a senior he began working part time at the lumberyard in Dexter, and after he graduated, he got a fulltime job at Preston Cashway,in Preston, MN, where he worked until 1963. In December of 1958 he married Sigrid Halverson in Preston. A daughter, Sonja, was born to them in 1959. In 1963 the family moved to Pipestone, MN, where Vern became the manager of Great Plains Supply. That marriage ended in divorce in 1964. He remained in Pipestone. On August 5, 1967, Vernon married Nyla Stueven at St. Paul Lutheran Church. They established their home in Pipestone, at 203 4th Ave. S.E. Vern’s daughter, Sonja, then 8, came to live with them, and they became a family.They lived their entire married life in Pipestone, the last 43 years in the home they built at 807 7th Ave. S.E. On December 29, 1970, their son, Todd, was born. Vern continued to work for Great Plains Supply in Pipestone, first as a store manager and then as a division manager. He continued in that role until 1983, when the company went out of business. After that he worked in real estate sales, first for Perkins Realty and then for Winter Realty. He retired in 1985. Nyla continued teaching at Pipestone High School until June, 1999, when she retired after a 39-year-career. During their retirement Vern and Nyla enjoyed travelling, going to Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and Italy in August of 1999. They also travelled to Alaska and many other places in the continental United States. In the winter of 2002 Vern and Nyla began going to Arizona to escape the Minnesota winters. Their annual migration continued for fifteen years, and eventually they owned a home in Casa Grande, AZ, as well as in Pipestone.Vernon died suddenly and unexpectedly on Sunday, February 7, 2016, at Banner Casa Grande Medical Center in Casa Grande, AZ, at the age of 79 years, one month and 19 days.

Vern was a member of St. Paul Lutheran Church in Pipestone, where he served at various times as a trustee and, more recently, on the Building Committee when the church building underwent extensive remodeling in 2007-8. Vern was a 21-year member of the Pipestone Fire Department, with the Engine Company. He enjoyed deer hunting; Minnesota Gopher sports, particularly football; travelling; shows and concerts. He especially enjoyed spending time with friends, drinking coffee and visiting at Gannon’s, the bakery, Lange’s, and McDonald’s. Vernon’s family was of utmost importance to him. He treasured their Thanksgiving and Christmas celebrations. The highlight of his year was the annual Father’s Day family steak fry at which he was the “chef.” Last summer’s steak fry was their 47th consecutive get together. The family plans to continue the tradition in his memory.

Vernon is lovingly remembered by his wife, Nyla Kraft, of Pipestone; two children, Sonja Kraft, of Canby, MN, and Todd and his wife, Anita Kraft, of Hopkins, MN; four grandchildren, Kristine Schneider and her husband, Nick Schneider, of Brandon, SD; Ryan Van Rooyen, of Denver, CO; and Marshall and Grayson Kraft of Hopkins; as well as four great-grandsons, Brian, Evan, Peyton, and Dylan Schneider of Brandon. He was preceded in death by his parents; one granddaughter, Joni Lingen; one brother, Raymond Kraft and two sisters, Margaret Cooper and Bernice Francis.