Norman Alfred Krafft (97), better known as Joe, passed away at Tut Fan Veteran’s Home in Huntsville, Alabama on February 18, 2025. He was the son of Alfred Krafft and Emily Trinklein-Krafft, and was born April 21, 1927. Survivors are; his daughter Dawn (Sam) Hawkins, three grandsons, Shane (Nancy) Russell, Micah (Jari) Russell, Jacob (Jazmin) Russell, two great-grandsons Moses and Joseph and his sister-in-law Eleanor Krafft. He was predeceased by his brothers Harold and Louis Krafft, and sisters Eleanor Krafft, Luella Garchow and Sally Roth. Also surviving are many nieces, nephews and their families.
Joe as born in Frankenmuth and baptized and confirmed at St. Lorenz Lutheran Church. He attended elementary school in a one-room schoolhouse at St. Lorenz, high school in Frankenmuth and graduated from Arthur Hill high school in Saginaw. Joe enjoyed going to school and had perfect attendance through eight grades of elementary school.
Joe grew up on the Krafft Farm and worked there until he went to college in 1946. He attended Valparaiso University and graduated in 1951 with a B.S. in Chemistry. He served 2 years in the US Army, including one year in Korea. After being discharged he worked for Frankenmuth Mutual as an adjuster and a computer programmer. He joined General Motors as a software developer and retired in 1990.
He was married to Joanne Massoll on September 28, 1957. They lived in Frankenmuth, Michigan until 2018 except for short time in 1982 when Joe moved to Spain to start up a Saginaw Steering Gear Plant. They loved their community of friends and family and attended St. Lorenz Lutheran Church together for many years. In 2018, they moved to Huntsville to be near their daughter.
After retirement Joe wrote three books, among them Beloved Brother, Bootleg and Bounty, a history of Frankenmuth in the 1930s. He wrote histories of the Frankenmuth School District and the Frankenmuth Fire department. He also translated hundreds of pages of church histories, all written in the archaic German cursive, a script that is unfamiliar to most persons. The translations proved helpful to many historians and researchers. He was awarded a Paul Harris Fellow Award and a Herbert L. Keinath Distinguished Service award for his contributions to Frankenmuth.
Joe enjoyed sports and participated in many, including softball, golf and tennis. He was an avid reader and a life-long learner. He also enjoyed traveling and camping. He traveled to many countries throughout the world including Russia, China, Venezuela, and many countries in Europe He also visited every state in the United States of America.
He was a loving friend, brother, grandfather, father and husband and a devoted follow of Christ.
Visitation is planned for April 12, 2025 at 10:00 am at St. Lorenz Lutheran Church with the funeral following at 11:00 am. A reception following the funeral will be held for family and friends.
Those wishing to give a memorial may consider a donation to St. Lorenz Lutheran Church.
