13 Jan Lillian Kraft
Posted at 18:52h
in Uncategorized
by staff
Lillian Kraft, 90, died peacefully in a Bismarck hospital on January 10, 2023, with family by her side. Mass of Christian Burial will be at 10:00 AM, Tuesday, January 17, 2023, at Corpus Christi Catholic Church, located at 1919 N 2nd St in Bismarck with burial at the North Dakota Veterans Cemetery. A livestream of the mass will be available on the Church of Corpus Christi website. Visitation will be Monday, January 16 from 5:00-7:00 PM at the Bismarck Funeral Home with a rosary/vigil service beginning at 6:00 PM.
Lillian was born on October 6, 1932, in Linton, ND to Ben and Barbara Glass (Baumgartner) as one of eight children. She was united in marriage to Edward Kraft Sr. on November 6, 1950, and moved to Minneapolis, MN to begin their life together. They returned to Bismarck, ND in 1955 with three children and moved into a new home on North 7th Street where they raised a total of eight children.
Lillian positively changed the lives of countless generations, offering her unconditional love, guidance, and infinite patience. Her empathetic nature included the unique ability to calm a screaming baby, reason with a sassy toddler and successfully get everyone to clean up a mess simultaneously! Her love for children led her to become a home daycare provider for decades, fulfilling an essential parental role in the lives of grandkids, friends, and neighbors.
In addition to raising children into responsible adults, she could raise just about anything that “might” grow in the Northern Plains. Her garden stretched entirely across her backyard and annually yielded a bumper crop of delicious fruits and vegetables. A variety of beautiful flowers encircled her entire house, which continue to thrive around Bismarck as she generously allowed anyone to dig up a bulb or root and transplant her precious gems into their own yard.
Lillian loved family gatherings at her home and frequently served up tasty German traditional meals. As she cared for generations of children, she was frequently found sitting at her sewing machine making her own clothes, sewing kid’s clothes, or stitching Barbie clothes for her grandkids. During the summer months, she and Edward would pull their fishing boat to Lake Sakakawea or Beaver Bay to fish for walleye. Lillian typically caught the most fish and even won several whopper badges!
Lillian is survived by her five daughters and two sons; Margaret Kiefer, Bismarck, Eileen Bavendick (Tom Parson), Bismarck, Lory Nelson (Russ), Bismarck, Marci Schorsch (Ron), Bismarck, Colleen Fortino (Vic), Bartlett IL, Gary (Lahna), Glen Ullin, Joe (Brandi), Colorado Springs CO; daughter-in-law, Donna Kraft, Detroit Lakes MN; brothers, Bill Glass (Marie) and Clarence Glass; brother-in-law, Herman Wolf and sister-in-law, Marlene Kraft; 20 grandchildren and 14 great grandchildren.
Lillian is preceded in death by her husband (1999); parents; son, Edward Kraft Jr.; two brothers, Leo and Roy Glass; and three sisters, Isabel Kuhn, Alicia Kramer and Viola Wolf.
In lieu of plants or flowers, memorials are preferred to https://designergenesnd.com/ (Down Syndrome Support Network-ND) or www.wish.org/northdakota (Make-a-Wish).
