Kathryn Jean Kraft

Kathryn Jean Kraft, 67, of Pierre, SD, passed away peacefully surrounded by family on August 8, 2025, at Sanford Health in Bismarck. Kathryn was the fifth child born to Herman and Joyce (Majorowicz) Kraft on February 14, 1958. Three more Kraft kids followed her birth and it was unanimous that all eight kids had the best childhood ever growing up in Timber Lake.

A Rosary/Vigil service will be held at 6:30 PM MST, Wednesday, August 13, 2025, at the Holy Cross Church, 506 F. St., Timber Lake, SD, with a time of fellowship to follow.

Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:30 AM MST, Thursday, August 14, at the Holy Cross Church with burial at the Timber Lake Cemetery.

Kathryn attended Holy Cross Catholic School in her early years and graduated from Timber Lake High School in 1976, making lifelong friends at both schools. Knowing from an early age that her life would be spent teaching Kathy attended SDSU and BHSU to pursue elementary education and later USD as a reading specialist. Kathy started her teaching career in Onida and retired in 2019 after teaching in the Pierre School District for 32 years. She was a devoted teacher who cared deeply for her students taking the time to know their families often being that one person that believed in them. While education was a major part of her life her priority was her daughter, Jo, who was born in Pierre in 1983. They spent weekends and summers on her parents’ farm in Timber Lake spending quality time with her siblings and nieces and nephews. In 2012 “Grammy” was born with the birth of her first granddaughter Charlotte. They were joined by her namesake Kathryn in 2015 and her grandson Bodhi in 2017. She was made for this role and enriched their lives with trips to the library, attended all the school events, was the official cake baker for their birthdays, and was the most present grandma that we could have ever asked for.

Kathy is survived by her daughter, Jo Lepkowski, son-in-law Andrew Lepkowski, three grandchildren, Charlotte, Kathryn “Kate”, and Bodhi Lepkowski, Pierre, SD; and a bonus granddaughter Maylie Lepkowski, Lodge Pole, MT . Her mother, Joyce Kraft, Timber Lake, SD, and her siblings, Maxine Johnson, Bismarck, ND, Richard (Caryn) Kraft, Sitka, AK, Karen Kraft, Timber Lake, SD, Alvin (Sherry), Mesquite, NV, and Karyl (Mary) Kraft, Minneapolis, MN.

Kathy was preceded in death by her dad, brothers Michael and Monte, brother-in-law Kevin Johnson, and great nephew Kayden Kraft.

If you are considering sending floral or plant arrangements, you can call Northside Flowers in Mobridge, SD, at 605-845-3401 and have them delivered to the church.