Carol Helen Kranpitz, 73
<p><strong>Carol Helen Kranpitz </strong></p><div><strong> </strong></div>
Carol Helen Kranpitz was born Nov. 23,1942, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, to Leslie and Dorothy Graff. She was raised in the Milwaukee area and attended several schools and went to college at Marquette University.
She married Richard Kranpitz and had four children, the first one of which died at birth. They moved to Louisville, Kentucky, where Carol worked as a secretary and Richard worked for UPS. Richard was transferred to Salt Lake City and they moved their family there. Carol decided to move herself and her children to Kalispell after a divorce from him. She then started her own business called Secretariat, doing temporary help and office services.
She was very active in the community working for several organizations such as Flathead Industries and the Chamber of Commerce. She loved spending time with family and her good friends from St. Matthew’s Catholic Church where she was very active in Cursillos and Search retreats and served as a Eucharistic minister.
After her children were grown she moved to Chicago. There she decided to go back to school at the age of 60 and earned her master’s degree in adult education from DePaul University. She also enjoyed being a nanny and working with charitable organizations. She then moved to Boise, Idaho.
She struggled with several health issues and finally passed away on Jan. 31, 2016 — not without a fight.
She was preceded in death by her father Leslie Graff, her mother Dorothy Graff, son Teddy Kranpitz, and her brother William Graff.
Survivors include brother Thomas Graff of Kalispell; daughter, Carin Boag, and Mark, of Shelley, Idaho; daughter, Jodi Faley, and Jim, of Elmhurst, Illinois; and a son, Michael Kranpitz, and Debbie, of Boise Idaho; and several grandchildren, Kaci, Tyler, Gabrielle, Emma, Audrey, Forest and Conner.
Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. on Feb. 26 at St. Matthew’s Catholic Church in Kalispell. A luncheon will follow. Burial of her cremated ashes will take place in Wisconsin at a later date this summer.
She was dearly loved by many and will be deeply missed.
Arrangements are under the direction of Hawker Funeral Home in Blackfoot, Idaho. Condolences may be sent to www.hawkerfuneralhome.com.