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Loyle F. Kratz 1922 - 2017

KRATZ, SHAFFER, DAVIS

Posted By: Connie Swearingen-volunteer (email)
Date: 3/21/2017 at 01:15:38

Onawa Democrat
8 March 2017

Loyle F. Kratz, 95, of Onawa, Iowa formerly of Moorhead, Iowa died Monday, February 27, 2017 at Elmwood Care Centre, Onawa, Iowa.

Funeral services will be 1:00 P.M. Friday, March 3, 2017 at Bethesda Lutheran Church in Moorhead, Iowa with Pastor Carla Johnsen, officiating. Burial will be in Spring Valley Cemetery, Moorhead, Iowa with Military Honors provided by the United States Air Force, David McNeill American Legion Post #129 of Onawa, Iowa, and the Monona County VFW Post #2694. Visitation will be 5:00 to 8:00 P.M. Thursday, March 2, 2017 with a prayer service at 7:30 P.M. at the Rush Family Chapel in Onawa, Iowa.

Loyle F. Kratz was born February 14, 1922 to George Irvin "G.I." and Rosetta "Etta" Margaret (Davis) Kratz on a farm north east of Turin, Iowa, between the Maple River and the train tracks. The family moved to a farm north east of Moorhead, Iowa and then to a farm north east of Onawa, Iowa. He attended the McNeil Country School. The family then moved to Turin, Iowa in 1936 and Loyle attended school in Castana where he graduated from Castana High School in 1940.

While in school, Loyle played baseball for the Castana Panthers for three years earning two letters, and he also played basketball and his team won the tournament. After high school he turned to umpiring for the next forty years. He also coached little league baseball at Moorhead for ten years. He was an avid baseball fan, he especially loved to watch the St. Louis Cardinals.

Loyle served thirty-eight months in the Army Air Corps from January 15, 1943 until his honorable discharge on March 15, 1946. During his time in the Army Air Corps he served in Iran and North Africa. He then worked as a farm laborer.

Loyle and Ethel Mae Shaffer were united in marriage on November 10, 1946 in Moorhead, Iowa. Three children were born to this union, Cathy, Judy, and Ron. The couple lived in Onawa a couple months and then moved to a farm south of Moorhead, Iowa and continued his work as a farm laborer. They then moved near Turin, Iowa and farmed for two years until moving to a farm north of Castana, Iowa where they lived for three years. The couple then moved to a farm west of Moorhead where they lived for six years.

On March 28, 1958, Loyle started a new job, carrying mail on a fifty-six mile mail route in Moorhead, Iowa. The routes later consolidated with Soldier, Iowa, leaving each town with a route of about one hundred miles. He retired on May 30, 1986. Then along with the umpiring Loyle had a small greenhouse and later he worked with wood crafts. He served on the Monona Services Board (currently know as Crossroads) in Onawa for seven years of which three he served as President. He belonged to the American Legion for over seventy years where he served as Commander for approximately twenty years, and also served as Finance Officer, Sergeant of Arms, County Commander, and Co Adjutant. Loyle also served as secretary on the Board of the Monona County Veterans Museum.

Loyle was a member of the Bethesda Lutheran Church in Moorhead, Iowa where he served for several years as Financial Secretary, Trustee, and two different times as President.

Survivors include his loving wife of seventy years, Ethel Mae (Shaffer) Kratz of Onawa, IA; two daughters, Cathy (Harold Remmenga) Stephens of Onawa, IA and Judy (Dave) Bonafilia of Omaha, NE; one son, Ron (Deb) Kratz of Omaha, NE; grandchildren, Kim (John) Bonafilia Loneman of Omaha, NE, Mike (Heather) Bonafilia of Omaha, NE, Kevin (Kayla) Bonafilia of Omaha, NE, Mandy (Otis) Phillips of Lake Waukomis, MO, and Kelly (Nate) McGranahan of Omaha, NE; great-grandchildren, Lindsay and Mason Loneman, Rylee and Reis Bonafilia, Arianna and Kynzleigh Bonafilia, Eli and Josie Phillips, and Clay, Levi, Avery, Judah McGranahan; and several nieces and nephews, cousins, other relatives and friends.

Loyle was preceded in death by his parents, "G.I." and "Etta" Kratz; one brother, Marvin (Mary Ellen) Kratz; two sisters, Cecil (Allen) Jordan and Pauline (Glenn) Morgan; and one son-in-law, Ken Stephens.

Memorials may be directed in Loyle's memory to Bethesda Lutheran Church in Moorhead, Iowa and Burgess Hospice in Onawa, Iowa.


 

Monona Obituaries maintained by Linda Ziemann.
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