Mathias Krebs "Uncle Matt" passed away at the Good Samaritan Nursing Center in Mott, ND at 12:05 AM on August 20, 2005 at the age of 94 years, 7 months, 16 days. Mathias Krebs, son of Kaspar and Susanna (Unterweger) Krebs, was born in a sod house in Hettinger County in North Dakota on January 4, 1911. He grew up on the farm and graduated from the 8th grade from a one-room school house. He continued to work on the farm and in the Krebs coal mine. He built a combination granary and car shed on the home place in 1939 as his first job as a carpenter. During World War II, he was left with his mother to farm when his three brothers, Peter, Thomas, and Henry were called to serve their country. Mathias moved off of the farm and into Regent in 1950 to work as a carpenter and a construction worker with his own business named "Krebs Construction". He built many houses, barns, and did all types of remodeling for relatives and friends in the Regent, New England, Lefor area and even Roseville, California for his sisters. He first lived with his brother John, wife and family and in 1953 rented an upstairs apartment from Grace Brugameyer. He lived there for 35 years. In 1988, he purchased a small house close to St. Henry's Catholic Church. He opened and locked the church for 14 years. In 2002, due to failing health, he entered the Good Samaritan Nursing Center in Mott, ND.


Mathias began playing baseball at an early age and was on the Rifle and Black Butte teams with William Witte as his coach. In the late 1920's, he organized, played and managed the first "Krebs Baseball Team" which consisted of his brothers, nephews, and neighbors. In 1938 and 1939, he and his brother, Peter, played on the Lefor baseball team in the Queen City League. In the early 40's, he coached a team of young boys from Lefor and when the young men returned from the service, he again started and managed the "Krebs Baseball Team". Eventually the Krebs team joined the Regent baseball team with Mathias as their manager. He also coached the Legion, Babe Ruth, Midget, and Pee Wee teams in Regent. In 1972 and 1973, the Regent Midget Team won the championship in an eight team play-off in Scranton, ND and a seven team play-off in New Leipzig, ND. After many years of baseball, Mathias retired from coaching in 1973.

Mathias joined the Knights of Columbus in 1938 and was a Fourth Degree member since 1976. In 1954, Mathias donated land to the City of Regent to be used as a park. The eight lots became the initial land that is now the Regent City Park.


Surviving family members include his brothers, Nicholaus (Kathrine) Krebs, Lemmon, SD; Henry (Eva) Krebs, Puyallup, WA; sisters-in-law, Anna Krebs, Good Samaritan Nursing Center, Mott, ND; Rose Krebs, Regent, ND; and many nieces and nephews, great nieces and great nephews, great great nieces and nephews and great great great nieces and nephews.


He was preceded in death by his parents; Kaspar and Susanna Krebs, 10 brothers, Anton, Kaspar, Anton, Joseph, Adam, George, John, Nick, Peter, and Thomas; 3 sisters, Elizabeth Mellmer, Sophie Banyai, Susanna Carpineta; 3 sisters-in-law, Mary Krebs, Rosie Krebs, and Lauretta Krebs; 3 brothers-in-law, Joseph Mellmer, Frank Banyai, and Americo Carpineta.


Funeral services for Mathias Krebs, age 94 of Regent will be 10:30am Wednesday, August 24, at St. Henry's Catholic Church in Regent. Fr Charles Zins will officiate with burial in St. Elizabeth's Catholic Cemetery at Lefor.


Serving as casket bearers are Nick Banyai, Jim Schroeder, Matt Krebs, Vernon Krebs, Tom L. Krebs, Duane Dobitz. All Knights of Columbus and Fourth Degree Knights are considered honorary bearers.

A memorial has been established.