Obit: Kraut, Frank (1881 - 1944)

Contact: Stan

Surnames: Kraut, Grether, Klessig, Herrmann, Derleth, Laabs, Karsten, Richter, Christofferson, Machlett, Thompson, Erickson, Hoge, Tonn, Jakel, Kind, Vorland, Zuelke, Pagel, Jeger, Hartwig, Reimer

----Sources: Colby Phonograph (Colby, Clark County, Wis.) 08/31/1944

Kraut, Frank (18 May 1881 - 26 Aug. 1944)

Frank Kraut, a prominent businessman in Curtiss for more than 35 years and at the time of his death, director of the Curtiss State Bank, died Saturday morning, August 26, at St. Mary’s Hospital in Rochester, Minn., at the age of 63 years. He had been in the hospital two and one-half weeks with a liver ailment.

Funeral services were held at the Lulloff Funeral Home in Colby at 1:30 o’clock Wednesday afternoon and at the Curtiss Evangelical and Reformed church at 2:00 o’clock, Rev. David Grether of Colby officiating, and internment was made in the Pine Hill cemetery at Curtiss, Wis. Pall bearers were William Klessig, Raymond Klessig, Alphonse Herrmann, Henry Derleth, Norbert Laabs and Harry Karsten. Honorary pall bearers were Fred Richter, Emil Laabs, Dr. H. H. Christofferson, Fred Machlett, Theodore Thompson, Fred Laabs, Alfred Erickson, John Hoge, Franklin Tonn and Charles Jakel.

Mr. Kraut was born in Austria on May 18, 1881, and came to the United States with his parents when he was 12 years old. He was married to Ida Kind in Curtiss in 1909. He spent most of his life in Curtiss and was a director of the Curtiss State Bank for 16 years and supervisor for 14 years. He was of a friendly and honest disposition which won him many friends in Curtiss and vicinity who will miss him.

Surviving are his widow; three daughters, Mrs. Gorton (Pearl) Vorland and Miss Marie Kraut, both of Colby, and Mrs. William (Ethel) Zuelke of Madison, two sons, Franklin of Curtiss and Pfc. Donald with the U.S. army in France; one sister, Miss Bertha Kraut of Curtiss; two brothers, Arthur of Curtiss and Leo of Yakima, Washington; his aged mother, Mrs. Marie Kraut of Curtiss; and three grand children. A brother, Joseph, and a sister, Mrs. Albert Klessig, preceded him in death.

Out of town relatives and friends here for the funeral were Mr. and Mrs. Herman Pagel of Chilton, Mr. and Mrs. Ed Kind of New Holstein, Mr. and Mrs. Walter Jeger of Kiel, Mr. and Mrs. Willard Zuelke and daughter, Pamela, of Madison, Mr. and Mrs. William Hartwig of Milwaukee, Mr. and Mrs. Ted Pagel of Chilton, Mr. and Mrs. Henry Derleth of Beaver Dam and Mr. and Mrs. Ed Reimer, of Milwaukee.