Claudia J. Kraft

Claudia J. Kraft, 72 of rural St. Michael, ND passed away on Tuesday, April 3, 2018 at her home. 

Mass of Christian Burial for Claudia will be held on Saturday, April 7, 2018 at 11:00 a.m. at St. Joseph Catholic Church, Devils Lake with Father Charles Leute OP celebrating the Mass. Burial will be in St. Joseph’s Catholic Cemetery.

Visitation will be held at the Gilbertson Funeral Home, Devils Lake on Friday, April 6^th from 5:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. with a time of remembrance at 7:00 p.m.  Visitation on Saturday will be at the church one hour prior to the funeral Mass.

Claudia Jean was born on January 4, 1946 at Council Bluffs, Iowa, the daughter of Hartley and Carol (Mann) Brotten. As a young child, she moved with the family to Warwick, ND where her Dad was stationed as a Depot Agent.  She attended Warwick Public School, graduating from Warwick High School. 

Claudia married her high school sweetheart, Louie I. Kraft on April 24, 1965. They shared 53 years of love, laughter and a beautiful life together.  They established their home on the Kraft farm where they were only going to live temporarily, but Claudia loved their little piece of heaven and would call it home until her death. 

First and foremost, Claudia was a devoted, loving wife, mother, grandmother and sister. She loved keeping busy and being around people so she worked at Herbst Department Store, worked for Mike Connor at the Credit Bureau of Devils Lake for several years and also was employed at the Bread Store.  For 21 years, Claudia was the owner and operator of Quality One Hour Photo, where she happily provided “Quality”, efficient service and always with a smile. 

In retirement, she treasured more time with family, grandchildren and great grandchildren, and more relaxing time at home. She had many friends locally and also those she met through computer time and Facebook.  She never missed a chance at get-togethers with those special friends through the years. 

We say good-bye to someone so special to us and she will be so very missed by all who knew and loved her.

Claudia’s loving family include her husband Louie; son Todd and his wife Tamy of St. Michael; granddaughters Tracy Kraft-McKinney, St. Michael and Mindy Kraft of Fargo; great grandsons Hunter and Sawyer McKinney; sister Cheryl (Michael) Steffan, St. Michael and brother Douglas (Michelle) Brotten, Brocket, ND; sisters-in-law Pauline Kenninger, Cooperstown, ND, Helen (George) Klemetsrud, Coleharbor, ND and Sandy Kraft, Devils Lake; many nieces, nephews and their families.

She was preceded in death by her parents Hartley and Carol and in-laws Lambert and Katherine Kraft.

Casket Bearers for Claudia will be Joe Papachek, Todd Hinderscheit, Jason Kraft, Jake Johnson, Tim Kraft and George Klemetsrud. Music will be provided by Jodi Kurtz, reading the Scriptures will be Peggy Bingham and Gift Bearers will be Mindy Kraft, Tracy, Hunter and Sawyer McKinney.