Gary Dean Kraft
Gary Dean Kraft, 76, a resident of Lee County for the past 50 years and recently of North Fort Myers, FL, passed from this life to his eternal rest on Sept. 4, 2022, in Englewood, FL. He was born in Milwaukee, WI, on March 16, 1946, to Warren H. Kraft and Margaret Kraft (nee Hirt), both now deceased.
He is survived by his loving wife, Joan Carsey of North Fort Myers, as well as children, Kimberly Kraft of East Lee County and Jason Kraft of Fort Myers.
While attending high school, Gary worked in a steel mill at night, and also attended a prestigious boxing training camp in Utah.
Gary volunteered for the U.S. Army at age 19 and was trained in Georgia. He also volunteered to go to Vietnam with only one year left in his Army enlistment. He received a Purple Heart for injuries from stepping on a Punji stick buried in a hole while he was on patrol. He served his country from Nov. 16, 1965, to Nov. 9, 1968, in the Army 101st Airborne Division.
After his time in service, Gary worked in the construction industry in Southwest Florida and also worked for Walmart Garden Center for 16 years. Gary loved to travel and made several trips to Paris, France, along with many other countries in Europe and some in Central America and Mexico.
Gary will be missed by his brother- and sister-in-law, Thomas and Julia Moore, as well as his nephew and wife, Brian and Tracy Moore, and friends at Victory Baptist Church.
Visitation will be held at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, October 1, 2022 followed by a Memorial Service with Military Honors at 11 a.m., at Victory Baptist Church, 15880 Hart Road, North Fort Myers, FL 33917, with Pastor John Matey officiating.
Memorial Contributions in memory of Gary Dean Kraft are suggested to the Building Fund at Victory Baptist Church, 15880 Hart Road, North Fort Myers, FL 33917.
Mullins Memorial Funeral Home & Cremation Service, Cape Coral, is entrusted with final care.
Hello Joan,
Thank you for sending me the information about Gary’s memorial service. Although I won’t be able to personally come down to Florida to be with all of you, my thoughts will be with you and your family, and with Gary’s children.
I am grateful for my memories of Gary in the 1960s and for his service to our country during the Vietnam War.
I remember Kimberly when she was a little one-year-old baby.
I hope that you all take good care, and I want to express my condolences to you all.
Bill Hirt
Gary’s first cousin
Gary was a gentleman. He had a great sense of humor. He will be missed by all of us. I remember that he enjoyed reading. We shared a favorite author in John Grisham.
Most of all I love that he shared his belief in Jesus Christ with his nurses and doctors. He encouraged all who came into his room to accept Jesus as their Savior.
He loved Joan, his wife, and wasn’t ashamed to say it.