William Frederick Kraft, was born to Fred and Mary (Boomer) Kraft at the Antigo, Wisconsin, hospital on March 15, 1934. He left this world on Friday, September 4, 2026. Bill wore many hats throughout his life, and consequently, he was a great storyteller.

As a young man in seventh grade in Galena, Illinois, his father had him driving milk truck by himself throughout the hills of Galena. In later years his article, Hauling Milk in Galena, was published.

After his family returned to Elcho, Wisconsin, in 1953, Bill started high school. He was a standout on the Elcho basketball and football teams lettering all four years. He made All-Conference in both sports.

After graduation from Elcho High School, he attended River Falls State College. He was on the football team and made All Conference three years in a row.

In his senior year he applied for induction into the Army. He was sent to a Radio School, where he learned Morse code. When his tour of duty in Germany ended, he returned to River Fall State College and earned a B.S. degree in teaching. He also sat for his Amateur Radio License and passed. He received a certificate for 30 words a minute. This became a lifetime skill. His first teaching job was at Dresser, Wisconsin. He then taught at Clayton, Wisconsin, and he finished his teaching career at the Chippewa Falls Middle School. At Chippewa He started SPARC, Students Participating in Amateur Radio Club. A former student recently sent a message to say, "If Bill hadn't taught me Morse code in seventh grade, my life would have been entirely different. It's a part of my life every day. And it has taken me around the world!" Somewhere out in the ether, messages from K9NY are still floating around. Listen for his call.

Bill joined the Army National Guard and combined with his active duty he served his country for over 34 years. He had stints of duty at Hayward, Eau Claire, and Chippewa Falls. Bill took a sabbatical from teaching to attend the nine-month-long resident's course at Ft. Bliss, TX, to become eligible for promotion to Sergeant Major. His love, passion, and professionalism for the Army & Army National Guard lead him to be selected to lead the Wisconsin Army National Guard Military Academy as their Command Sergeant Major of the 426th Regional Training Institute.

Bill and Charlotte Anderson were married on December 26, 1960, they were always a team. What one couldn't do, the other could. After they were both retired, they spent their time traveling in their pickup camper or fifth wheel. They covered almost all the States, spent six weeks touring Alaska, rode the rails with their camper on a flatbed train to Mazatlán, Mexico, traveled most of Canada, and the highlight was a visit to Prince Edward Island and several winter trips to Key West. One special trip was to Denmark, where Char met up with her many cousins. Her father was a Danish emigrant to the United States.

With his experiences with amateur radio, he served as the ARES (Amateur Radio Emergency Service) Coordinator for eight years for Eau Claire County. One year at the Wisconsin State ARES Conference, he was honored to receive the Emergency Coordinator of the Year Award.

Bill was a student of history, especially Civil War and Roman history, and he supported Historical Societies to which he had ties. He was most active in Stockton, Illinois, Historical Society and most recently the Elcho Historical Society of which he was founding member.

Bill always said the most important thing to him was his beautiful family of which he was most proud. He leaves behind his son Jim and his wife Shelly and son Matt and his wife Michelle. His grandchildren: Will Kraft, his namesake; Jacob Kraft, Zachary Kraft, and his wife Allison; Samantha and her husband Adam Jackson; and great grandchildren Asher and Briar Jackson, and Cecilia and Sophia Kraft.

Bill was also a winemaker! He made carboys of wine out of raspberries, grapes, or with whatever fruit was available Thus, the family had plenty of wine for holiday dinners. Many folks were gifted with bottles of wine.

Two sisters survive Bill: Marlene Voight and Mary Susan Andraschko and her husband Steve; two brothers: Kenneth Kraft and his wife Myrna, and LaMont Kraft, and special cousins Leroy and Jenny Maloney, and many cousins on the Boomer and Kraft family sides.

Bill's life was marked by extraordinary chapters, each part brimming with adventure, humor, compassion, and the spark that makes life worth living. We gather not in sorrow, but in awe to reflect upon and honor the story of a husband, teacher, soldier, father, grandfather, and great grandfather whose heart, intellect, and zest for experience have touched those around him. It was a life well lived.

Listen for K9NY's messages still swirling around in the ether: the upper regions of space-heaven!

Special thanks to the folks at St. Croix Hospice for their great care, and for helping to ease the way.

A memorial service with military honors will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, September 12, at Stokes, Prock & Mundt Funeral Chapel, 535 S. Hillcrest Parkway, Altoona with Fr. James Kurzynski. Visitation will be from 10:00 a.m. until time of service. Private burial will take place at the Northern Wisconsin Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Spooner at a later date.

Cremation Society of Wisconsin, Altoona is assisting the family. Online condolences may be shared at www.cremationsociety-wi.com.