Bud Kranz, 87
Ernest “Bud” Kratz, age 87 of Yankton, S.D., passed away early Tuesday, Feb. 25, 2025 at Avera Sister James Care Center, Yankton. A funeral service was held Monday, March 3 at the United Church of Christ (Congregational) in Yankton with Rev. Sue Burris officiating. Burial was at the Yankton City Cemetery with Military Graveside Rites by the Ernest-Bowyer VFW Post Honor Guard, the SDARNGHG, and the South Dakota Patriot Guard.
Almost no one called Ernest Alan Kratz by his name, or even by a nickname based on his name. Instead, from a very young age, he was called Buddy, shortened to Bud as he grew. And that makes sense: Bud was a gentleman and a gentle man, a friend and “buddy” to many, and an unfailing light to those of us fortunate enough to be a part of his family. That light shines differently today, following his death, but for us, it will never go out.
Bud was born on Aug. 2, 1937, the son of Clarence and Helen (Lundborg) Kratz. He grew up in the very small town of Olivet, S.D., surrounded by the love of his family and the support of the community where his father owned and ran the Kratz General Store. Bud and his three sisters grew up helping in the store between school activities, playing with local kids, and fishing and swimming in the “Jim” River that ran along the eastern edge of town.
Bud attended elementary school in Olivet and graduated from Menno High School. While he was in high school, he met and started dating Marilyn June Thum, a girl from the neighboring town of Scotland, S.D. But Bud had professional plans, as well, including serving in the naval reserves from 1955-56 and in the U.S. Army — stationed in Heilbronn, Germany — from 1956 to 1958. Bud earned the rank of specialist third class during his service and enjoyed traveling across Europe during time off from soldiering.
Returning home, Bud graduated from Sioux City Barber College in 1959 and began working as a barber, a career he would enjoy for 17 years. That was a banner year, as Bud also married his longtime sweetheart, Marilyn, at the First Congregational Church in Scotland on June 7, 1959. Bud and Marilyn’s marriage was one of peace, joy, mutual strength, and love. The couple moved to Yankton, where Marilyn pursued a career in teaching and Bud continued barbering until, as he told it, the 1970s ushered in an era of longer hair and men getting their hair cut by “stylists.”
Bud considered a few other professions before returning to his retail roots by taking a job at Rexall Drug in Yankton, where he would enjoy working for more than three decades. Bud was retail manager for the store, was certified as a pharmacy technician, and became a local institution, well known around town for his professionalism and integrity. His family take great pride in the fact that Bud was universally well liked and a pillar of the retail community in Yankton; he was honored as Retailer of the Month in October 2000. He was also hugely supportive of his wife’s dual careers as a teacher and writer.
Their family grew as Bud and Marilyn built their lives in Yankton. They welcomed daughter Lisa in 1964 and son Greg in 1969 and enjoyed many years of get-togethers with both the Kratz and Thum sides of the family. Bud greatly valued his membership in the Yankton United Church of Christ, where he served for 34 years as treasurer, and in St. John’s Lodge #1 of Yankton, where he served as Master and held other offices of the Masonic order. Bud and Marilyn greatly enjoyed the friendships they made through Masonic and Eastern Star membership, and Bud was named Mason of the Year in 2014.
Bud and Marilyn poured their love, and many life lessons, into Lisa and Greg, impressing on them the importance of education and of being of service to your community. They were very proud of their children’s accomplishments, but possibly even more so of their grandchildren: Greg married Stacey Johnson in 1991, and Bud and Marilyn were grandparents to Emma, Grace, Kate, and Max, and later to Taylor Bailey after he and Emma married. His grandchildren loved Bud’s humor and quick wit, begged him for stories about his boyhood and family life, and enjoyed learning the beloved family card game, Sets and Runs, from him.
As his working years ended, Bud continued to enjoy reading, doing word hunt and jigsaw puzzles, and having lunch every Friday with friends from UCC. He and Marilyn celebrated their 50th anniversary in 2009 with a wonderful reception at the UCC. They enjoyed watching their grandchildren grow up and maintaining associations with dear old friends. About six years ago, Bud began showing signs of dementia, and that disease affected his later years very much. But to the end, he remained Bud: kind, soft-spoken, more worried about others than himself, full of wit and humor, and loving to and beloved by his family. We will miss you so much until we meet again!
Bud was preceded in death by his parents, his sister Coletta Bender; parents-in-law Oscar and Martha Thum; brothers-in-law Ron Mouser, Dr. Brooks Ranney, Rollie Beran, and Glenn Bender; niece LeAnne Gerlach; and nephew Mark Voy.
He is survived by his wife of 65 years, Marilyn; daughter Lisa; son Greg (Stacey); grandchildren Emma (Taylor Bailey), Grace, Kate, and Max; sisters Kay (Glen) Schoenfish and Marsha Beran; sisters-in-law Vi Ranney and Donna Mouser; brother-in-law Marvin (Agnes) Thum; numerous nieces and nephews; and many cherished friends.
Our most grateful thanks to the loving and professional rehabilitation and hospice staff at the Sister James Care Center at Majestic Bluffs, and to the staff at Avera Sacred Heart Hospital. Memorials can be made to Keep Yankton Beautiful or the Mead Museum.
