Obituary: Harold Eugene Kratzer

Harold Eugene Kratzer In Memory 8/23/1916 ~ 7/6/2007 Dr. Harold E. Kratzer was born August 23, 1916 in Salt Lake City, Utah to Herman and Pauline Karpf Kratzer. He attended Wasatch, Bryant Junior high and West High schools in Salt Lake City, Utah. He completed his pre-dental studies at the University of Utah before joining the United States Army Air Corps. He was a bomber pilot in the Pacific and served there for 34 months, attaining the rank of Major. He married Dixie Grace Standage on May 23, 1941 in the Mesa, Arizona Temple of the LDS Church. Together they had five children: David Standage Kratzer (deceased), Karin Lee Kratzer Crawford, Heidi Louise Kratzer (deceased), Tara Kim Kratzer Ord, and Kevin Elise Kratzer Beckstead. There are 14 grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren. He entered dental school in the first class after World War II. He graduated from the University of California Dental College, Curriculum II in 1949, specializing in Orthodontics. He was a member of Epsilon Alpha, the honor society of the College of Dentistry, as well as the senior class president. Harold was a family man as well as a devoted member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He served a two and one half year mission in Germany at the time Hitler was getting ready for war. His church authorities told him to evacuate a few days before Germany invaded Poland. Harold was on the last regular scheduled train from Berlin to Copenhagen. Among many callings in the church he served as Bishop for almost five years in the San Marino Ward in California. He and his second wife, Norma, were called in 1989 to fulfill another mission for the church in Frankfurt, Germany. Until the time Harold's health slowed him up, he was active in the southern component of the Pacific Coast Society of Orthodontics and was unable to accept future leadership duties due to heart by-pass surgery. At that time he was on the public relations committee and participated in meetings at the main headquarters in Saint Louis. He was very active in the southern component of the Edward H. Angle Society and served as president. One of his cherished experiences was Scoutmaster. Again he was working with young people. Harold was a member of the Pasadena Y's men club, a service organization for the YMCA, serving as president. Wherever there were young people, Harold was there. The golf course was his heaven. When his heart and legs gave up, he watched the golfers from his home window, knowing what they were going through. Harold was a charter member of a gang of football fans. Each year they would attend either the SC-Cal or SC-Stanford football games. There were as many as 40 friends all gathering at the Chancellor Hotel in San Francisco, California, immediately taking the cable car to Fisherman's Wharf and later attending the legitimate theater. In the last years he spent most of his time at the computer, writing biographies with his scanned pictures and giving his children and grandchildren a look see of their legacy. After retiring Harold moved to Rancho Mirage, California with his second wife, Norma Forsey Salmon. They spent their summers in Salt Lake City, Utah in their condo at Zion Summit, making friends with the members of the Capital Hill Ward. Harold has joined his first wife, Dixie Standage Kratzer who passed away in 1980. Their daughter, Heidi, was killed in an automobile accident while attending her freshman year at the University of Utah. Their son, David, passed away in 1992. They are now together. Survived are Norma Forsey Kratzer, wife, daughters Karin Crawford, Arcadia California; Tara Ord, Palo Alto, California; and Kevin Beckstead, Los Altos, California; as well as 14 grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren. Funeral Service will be Saturday, July 14, 2007 at 12 noon, held at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Arcadia Ward building, 612 Foothills Blvd. Interment, Live Oak Memorial Park. E-mail condolences to www.ourfuneralservice.com. Arcadia Chapel of Remembrance Funeral Home. (626)447-8148.