A memorial service for Bob Krall will take place on Saturday, September 11 at 11 a.m. at the United Methodist Church of Cedar Key. Robert Wilhelm Krall passed away peacefully surrounded by his family on August 6, 2010. He was 92 years old. Bob was born in Sublette, WY in 1918 to Elise Saxe Krall and William Krall, both German immigrants. His father worked in the Sublette coal mine, and his parents homesteaded in the Fontenelle Basin, where his father lost his life in a water dispute when Bob was two years old. Bob was raised by his resilient and determined mother, who subsequently proved up on the homestead and then opened a boarding house in Kemmerer, WY. She called him "Sonny." In his youth, Bob spent many summers on the Herschler ranch on Fontenelle Creek. He was a high school athlete and loved to hunt, fish and roam the high desert. During the depression, he joined the Civilian Conservation Corps. He served as an officer in the infantry during World War II in the European Theatre and was captured by the Germans in the battle of Monte Casino. After 13 months as a prisoner of war, he escaped and made his way to Odessa, Russia. He served as an officer combat engineer in the Korean War. He and Florence Rose Bertagnolli married in 1950 and had four children: Kathryn Morton (Mike Polar), Matthew Krall (Marie Foreman), Lisi Krall and Bob Krall. Bob and Florence ranched in Boulder, WY before settling in Kemmerer, where he worked for the Wyoming Highway Department. They divorced in 1972. He retired in 1976 and married Betty Sutherland Kirk, the widow of Joseph Kirk, one of his best friends. To the Kirk clan, he was known as "Daddy Bob." He had three stepchildren: Barbara Jackson (Chuck), Kitty Fouche and Joe Kirk (Betsy). Bob and Betty spent many years summering in Kemmerer and wintering in Florida, first in Naples and then in Cedar Key. Betty preceded him in death in 2001. Bob was loved by his children, grandchildren (seven Krall and 11 Kirk), many great grandchildren, and his community. He was a man who knew the importance of humor, family and place. He taught his children and grandchildren to appreciate and love the simple things in life. He never wavered in is love for hte power and grandeur of a small corner of arid country. |
