Wanda L. Kraft

Wanda L. Kraft was born March 13, 1930 at her parent’s home in Stilwell, Ks. She was the third child born out of six children to Albert W. and Ruth L. (Miller) Odor. She lived in the Kansas City area and then moved to Ottawa, Kan, where she lived the majority of her life until her death on Friday, June 19, 2009 at the age of seventy-nine years old. As a young girl living with her parents she attended the Kansas City schools & then by the age of seven after her father’s death she went to live with foster parents Don A. and Thelma A. (Wassell) Yockey who raised her & later adopted her. She continued her education in Kansas City for awhile & then they eventually moved to the northeast edge of Ottawa where they began farming. She helped on the farm by feeding the animals, milking cows and doing various chores while also going to school every day. She also had horses which she loved riding. She graduated from Ottawa High School in 1948. After graduation she continued to work on the farm. Most mornings she went to Bennett’s Creamery to drop off milk where she became acquainted with her future husband Thomas. They started talking, eventually dated, got married & had five children. She was a homemaker for the majority of her life but did work at various jobs like Woolworths, King Radio, & drove a dump truck part time for a hauling contractor for Buildex. She loved talking about her dump truck days. Wanda was a member of the Union Chapter No. 15 – Order of the Eastern Star for over 42 yrs & she was their secretary for 22 years. She was also a member of True Kindred, White Shrine, & the Hazel Rebekah Lodge for many, many years while also holding numerous offices in all of these clubs. She also attended the North Baptist Church at times. Wanda enjoyed growing a garden in the summer & canning various vegetables & fruits from her garden, collecting all kinds of dishes for her kitchen, shopping at antique stores, taking bus trips to different places, cooking & baking lots of goodies for everyone, preparing Thanksgiving & Christmas dinners every year for her family, & spending time with her family. Her family & friends will never forget the GREAT cooking & baking she did & the delicious meals she always prepared. She never went by a recipe faithfully; her ingredients consisted of “a little dab of this & a little dab of that” which always turned out exceptional. One of her many joys were watching people fall in love with her cooked & baked recipes. On January 7, 1949 she was united in marriage to Thomas A. Kraft in Ottawa, Ks. They celebrated their 50th Golden Wedding Anniversary in Jan 1999 and were privileged to share up to 59 years of marriage. He preceded her in death on March 22, 2008. She is survived by her two daughters & two sons and their spouses. Janice McAninch & her husband Ron of Goddard, Ks; Delores Pitts and her husband Craig of Edmond, Ok; Tom Kraft Jr. Springfield, Mo; and Clayton Kraft and his wife Loriee of Ottawa. Seven grandchildren, Angela Jones and her husband Derek; Sarah Schmalzried and her husband Greg; Doug Kraft and his wife Hanna; Justin Kraft; Curtis Kraft and his wife Kim; Kyle Kraft and Logan Kraft. Two step-grandchildren, Ryan McAninch; Scott McAninch and his wife Misty. Five great-grandchildren, Amanda Schmalzried, Cody Schmalzried, Jacob Kraft, Andrew Kraft & Lauren Kraft, plus a great-grandson to be, Ethan Kraft. Three step great-grandchildren, Emma, Ava, & Ethan McAninch. One sister Joyce Fennell, one brother Robert Smith, & half-brother Robert Bibb. She is preceded in death by her husband, birth parents, adopted parents, one son Mikeal Kraft, one sister Nancy Jones, two brothers William O’Conner & Joseph Odor, one half-brother Herbert Odor & one half-sister Maxine Hughes. SERVICES: Funeral services will be held at Dengel & Son Mortuary in Ottawa at 10:00 a.m. on Wednesday, June 24, 2009. IN STATE: Friends may pay their respects to Mrs. Kraft after 10:00 a.m. Tuesday at Dengel & Son Mortuary, where family will meet with friends from 7:00 to 8:00 Tuesday evening. CEMETERY: Highland Cemetery in Ottawa, Kansas. MEMORIALS: The family suggests memorial contributions to Union Chapter #15, Order of the Eastern Star or American Heart Association, c/o Dengel & Son Mortuary, 235 S. Hickory, Ottawa, Kansas 66067.