Funeral services for Duane Kroft, age 72 of Hettinger, will be 1:00pm Thursday, January 10, 2008 at the Assembly Of God Church in Hettinger. Pastor Marc Eidahl will officiate with burial in the Lodgepole Cemetery.


Special music for the service will be provided by Todd Buer.


Serving as casketbearers are Dalen Kroft, Doug Kroft, Dennis Kroft, Warren Edwards, John Olson, Ralph Palmen, Andy Winarske, and Alex Winarske. All friends and family are considered honorary bearers.


ROYAL DUANE KROFT was born April 7, 1935 in Hettinger, ND to Royal and Dorothy (Durick) Kroft. The oldest of eight children, Duane grew up on the family farm. Along with the numerous chores and helping with his younger brothers and sisters, he acquired a horse name Lady, which he broke to ride. He also worked with his uncle Alan Durick during a combine season. He attended the East Grand River School for his first through fourth grades and the West Grand River School for the remaining grade school years. Duane graduated from Hettinger High School in 1954.


Duane was united in marriage to Beanie (Delores) Brabazon on June 18, 1956. To this union two children were born, Deborah Eileen and Darlen Ray. After their marriage, Duane worked in the Hettinger area for local ranchers and at the John Deere Implement Dealer. During this time, he took a correspondence course for diesel mechanics and finished this schooling in Chicago, graduating among the top in his class. Duane and Beanie moved to Tioga, ND where he worked for Northern Tanklines. He was on call 24 hours a day to work on the trucks when they would have mechanical problems. This took him out into the extreme elements of the Dakota weather. They moved to Rapid City, SD in 1961 where Duane continued to work as a diesel mechanic. He also drove truck, hauling livestock for Seastrum Trucking. While employed by Buckingham Rental, he worked as a mechanic during the day, and would drive truck into Wyoming to pick up a load of fuel and deliver to the Black Hills in the evening. During this time, Duane began to build his registered Black Angus cow herd. He learned to A.I. and carefully chose bloodlines to bring a high quality to his herd, which he would continue to build through the years that he was able to farm.


Duane and Beanie purchased a home in Rapid City and began making home improvements, finishing the basement and landscaping and terracing the backyard with rock picked at the quarry. You could find different flowers and vegetables being grown on the terrace areas. You could also find the local kids playing on the beautiful lawn that they worked so hard to keep green and weed free. Duane enjoyed hunting, fishing, and boating. Any recreational time would find Duane and Beanie at one of the local lakes, in their boat, enjoying the outdoors and time with their friends. They would also play cards with these many couples and developed lasting friendships, which they continued to treasure throughout their lifetime.


In 1973, they moved to the Kroft family farm, seven miles south of Hettinger where they continued their high quality of work ethic to build up the farm. Fixing fences, buying equipment, building the cow herd and also building a sheep and Angora goat herd were some of their focus now. Duane went to work for the local John Deere shop in Hettinger where he would continue to use his skills in diesel mechanics. Many neighbors and local farmers also called on Duane for help with their tractors. It was not uncommon for him to leave his own harvest fields to fix someone's air conditioner so they could finish their harvesting.


He served on the Grand River Township Board from the time of his move to the farm. He was a great example of giving of yourself to others and loving your neighbor as yourself. His tender heart, quiet strength and easy smile will be missed by all who knew him.


Duane ascended into Heaven on Thursday evening, January 3, at Western Horizon Care Center in Hettinger.


Grateful for having shared his life are his daughter and son-in-law, Deborah and Bruce Kile, Shadehill, SD; son, Darlen Kroft and special friend Cynthia Ashbaker, Hettinger, ND; grandchildren, Nicole Kroft and fiancée, Morgan Edwards, Ely, MN; Joseph Kroft, Hettinger, ND; Faith Kile, Shadehill, SD; brothers and sisters-in-law, Dalen and Isabelle Kroft, Mandan, ND; Douglas Kroft, Crested Butte, CO: Dennis and Martha Kroft, Laurel, MT; sisters and brothers-in-law, Doreen and Warren Edwards, Olathe, KS; Deanne and John Olson, Grand Forks, ND; Darlys and Ralph Palmen, Bothell, WA; his mother-in-law, Eileen Brabazon, Lodgepole, SD; and numerous nieces and nephews.


Duane was preceded in death by his wife, Beanie (Delores); his parents; and one brother, Donalyn Kroft.


A memorial has been established.