From June 10, 1940 to June 7, 2016 William "Bill" M. Kraft lived simply, worked hard, laughed often, found his greatest blessings through his family, his greatest satisfaction in providing for his family, and his greatest joy in a harmless prank (given or received). Bill lived two days shy of 76 years and he wouldn't have traded a single minute of life in a small community surrounded by friends and family for any amount of earthly riches or fame.

How you referred to Bill may tell a bit about your relationship with him, and if you knew Bill for any period of time, he most likely had a nickname for you. If you knew Bill well, you very well could have been the recipient of one of his pranks.

Born in Peirce County, North Dakota in the family farm home, Bill was the thirteenth baby born to William and Magdalena (Fettig) Kraft. Two baby girls would follow Bill's birth leaving him the youngest of seven boys and a brother to eight sisters. If your connection to Bill has North Dakota roots, you most likely called him Billy or Uncle Billy.

In 1961, Bill joined two of his brothers who were working in construction in northeastern Wyoming. While working on a road crew helping build I-90, Bill met Dianna Hagerman. On March 3, 1962 Bill and Dianna were married at the Catholic church in Upton, Wyoming.
Bill and Dianna's first years of marriage were spent making homes where ever Bill's employment took them; Upton, Hauber Mine, Newcastle, Moorcroft, and Gillette. In 1976, Bill and Dianna moved back to Moorcroft to raise their family on five acres at Buckmiller Addition. A home on open space and land to tend to made Bill happy. Then in 1987 Bill and Dianna sold their place and purchased a house in town where Bill enjoyed spending time fixing up the home and maintaining the large corner lot.

With four children attending Moorcroft schools and as the spouse of a Moorcroft school employee, Bill spent a great deal of time at school events and making connections with adults and kids in that environment. If your connection to Bill was through the school or his kids, you may have called him Mr. Kraft, Dianna's husband, Shellie, Lisa, Mike, or Mandy's dad.

An official retirement in 2000 from Amax as shovel operator/pit oiler at the Belle Ayre mine did not keep Bill from returning to the coal mines. In his post-retirement Bill worked for Nelson Brothers Blasting and FlowTech Fueling, two jobs that gave him the opportunity to once again enjoy the camaraderie of co-workers in the mining industry. If your connection to Bill has oil rig or coal mine roots, you may have come to know him as Krafty.

Bill's post-retirement history also included working for both the city of Moorcroft and the city of Gillette. As a city employee he was able to continue working outside and help keep the community he cared for looking good, something he worked hard at and took pride in.

An idle life had no appeal to Bill, so when the time came for a truer retirement, he increased the time he spent caring for his yard and tending to family acreage north of Upton. Being at the property with his wife Dianna, his family, his friends, or alone brought hours of enjoyment. Daily activities like four-wheeling, fence repairing, equipment maintaining, haying, and wild-life watching kept Bill busy and happy. Bill also enjoyed helping others, visiting over a cup of coffee around the family dining room table, being a stage hand for the Upton Community Hand Bell Choir, Sunday services at the Gillette Christian Center, and celebrating birthdays, anniversaries, and other special occasions at the Buffalo Jump in Beulah with Dick and Judy Ludemann.

Although completely content being at home, Bill was always excited to travel to new cities and states to spend time with family. Over the years Bill and Dianna made trips to Arizona, Wisconsin, Idaho, Oregon, Washington, North Dakota, and Colorado. In 2014 a grandchild's college graduation took them overseas to Scotland. Throughout the past several months two major events that Bill enjoyed talking about were his first ever sky-diving experience and the upcoming birth of a namesake grandbaby.

After a long stay in the hospital due to complications from a surgery on May 3, 2016, Bill's request to return home was granted on May 26th. For almost two weeks Bill's days at home were filled with visits from family and friends. An abundance of love, laughter, and blessings filled the Kraft home where memories were shared, stories were told, good-byes were exchanged, and then on Tuesday morning, June 7, 2016 Bill went peacefully to be with his Savior.

Bill is survived by his wife of 54 years, Dianna (Hagerman); daughter, Michelle "Shellie" Christian, her husband Brent, their daughters, Brittany Christian and Ashlynn Koivisto and her husband Karrson; Bill's son, Michael Kraft, his wife Susy and their son Drew; Bill's daughter, Amanda "Mandy" Dukovan, her husband, Nick and their soon to be born baby, Brock William Dukovan. In 2009, Bill and Dianna's daughter, Lisa Marie Kraft passed away.

Bill was preceded in death by his parents, William and Magdalena (Fettig) Kraft; siblings, Helen Kraft, Edmund Kraft, Pete Kraft, Agnes Fossen, Teresa Weltz, Leo Kraft, Eva Goldade, and Albert Kraft. Bill's surviving siblings and their spouses include, Walter and Eunice Kraft, Leonard and Regina Kraft, Maggie and Archie Huber, Bernice and Albert Kelly, and sisters, Rose Krenzel and Betty Selzler.

A celebration of life service will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial contributions be made in Bill's name to either; Campbell County Health Hospice at PO Box 3011 Gillette, WY 82717; or The Upton Bell Choir C/O J. Ludemann PO Box 286 Upton, WY 82730; or Woman's Resource Center of Northeast Wyoming on line http://wypregnancyhelp.com.

Online condolences may be written at www.fidler-isburgfuneralchapels.com