Larry Kraft, 78

Larry Carlton Kraft, age 78, of Sturgis, passed away Thursday evening, June 13, 2019, at Borgess Medical Center in Kalamazoo.
He was born March 21, 1941, in Sturgis, a son of the late Richard and Viola (Kraft) Kraft.
Larry was a lifelong Sturgis resident and a graduate of Sturgis High School with the class of 1959. While in high school, he excelled in athletics, lettering in baseball and basketball. His talent in athletics continued after high school. He was invited to team tryouts with the Detroit Tigers and Philadelphia Phillies. Along with his brother Norm, he played several years of semi-pro baseball. Larry played fast-pitch softball for several years with the infamous Orange Machine in Sturgis.
He retired in 1999 from Sigrist Furniture Company in Sturgis, following 31 years of dedicated employment as the company service manager. He also had worked at Kirsch Company in Sturgis and with the Quirin boys at J&M Auto Service in Sturgis.
Larry was proud to have served his country in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War, stationed in Germany and the Underground Pentagon. He also served the city of Sturgis as a city commissioner of Precinct 2.
Larry had a true appreciation of the outdoors. He enjoyed hunting, fishing, mushroom hunting, snowmobiling, driving his dune buggy through the woods and he loved spending time at his cabin in Peacock. Another love of Larry’s was traveling to casinos.
He is survived by his soulmate, Debi Avery of Sturgis; a niece, Kendra (Dr. Jeffrey) Dash of Florida; a nephew, Kent Kraft of Sturgis; a sister-in-law, Mary Ann Kraft of Florida; and special longtime friends Roy Harris of Maryville, Beverly Souter of White Pigeon and Toby Isaac of Sturgis.
He was preceded in death by his parents; a brother, Richard Norman Kraft; and two infant sisters, Lois Jean and Colleen Joyce Kraft.
The family will receive friends from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday at the Hackman Chapel of Hackman Family Funeral Homes, 114 S. Nottawa St., Sturgis. Funeral services celebrating the life of Larry C. Kraft will be held at 11 a.m. Wednesday at the funeral home. Pastor Robert Keim will officiate. A graveside committal will take place at Adams Cemetery in rural Burr Oak, where full military honors will be conferred by Capt. John J. Kelley Post #1355 VFW and the U.S. Army Honor Guard.
The family suggests those wishing to make a memorial donation in Larry’s memory consider Covenant Community United Methodist Church, 2243-2253 M-37, Baldwin, MI 49304; or American Heart Association , 3816 Paysphere Circle, Chicago, IL 60674.
His obituary is also at www.hackmanfamilyfuneralhomes.com, where personal messages of support may be left for the family.