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Louis R. Kraft

ThumbnailLouis R. Kraft, 85, of Oil City, died Friday, November 9, 2018 at UPMC Presbyterian Hospital in Pittsburgh.

Born January 26, 1933 on E. 7th Street in Oil City, he was the son of the late Louis W. and Marie L. Fischer Kraft.

He was the president of the 1950 class at Oil City High School and went on to attend the University of Pittsburgh on a basketball scholarship. He was a member of the Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity and earned a BS in Civil Engineering. Lou was the first member of his family to attend college.

After graduating from Pitt, he worked as an intern for the Ohio Department of Transportation, coming home to Oil City on the weekends to work for his father, eventually moving back home to work full time for his father’s company and beginning a six-year enlistment in the US Army Reserves.

Lou went on to become president of Kraft Concrete Products, Inc. and Louis Kraft Co. which were instrumental in the construction of the former Quaker State headquarters and the parking ramp.

Mr. Kraft was a member of the Oil City Club, the Franklin Club, the 100 Club, and the Oil City Elks Club. A 50-year member of Petrolia Lodge 363 F. & A. M., he was also a member of the Shriners.

He played baseball in the Hay Rake Baseball League and was a member of the YMCA Travelling Basketball Team.

Lou served as a board member for the Grove Hill Cemetery Association, the Work Force Investment Board, the Salvation Army Advisory Board, the Venango Museum of Arts, Science and Industry, and was a member of the Clarion University Venango Campus Advisory Council.

In 2011, he was named Citizen of the Year by the Venango Area Chamber of Commerce.

Mr. Kraft was a life-long member of Good Hope Lutheran Church.

Surviving are two sons, Louis W. Kraft II, M.D. of Sacramento, CA and Jack Christopher Kraft M.D. and his wife Kara of Carmichael, CA; three grandchildren, Braeden James Kraft of Long Beach, CA, Aubryn Rose Kraft of San Luis Obispo, CA, and Ayla Jace Kraft of Carmichael, CA; his lifetime companion of 47 years, Joanne Strickland of Oil City; and his former wife, Rosemarie Harter Bo.

Also surviving are three nieces, Nedra Kraft Richards, Sheilah Garhart, and Leanne Williams.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by two sisters, Doris K. Sheatz and Jean M. Williams; and a nephew Craig L. Williams.

Friends will be received from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 pm Friday at the Morrison Funeral Home and 2 to 3 pm Saturday at Good Hope Lutheran Church.

Funeral services will be held in Good Hope Lutheran Church, Saturday at 3 pm with the Rev. J. Michael Parsh officiating.

Interment will be in Grove Hill Cemetery on Monday at 11 am with full military honors accorded by the VETS Honor Guard.

Online condolences can be received at www.morrisonhome.com.

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