 Robert W. Krall 1918 ~ 2010 Robert Wilhelm Krall passed away peacefully surrounded by his family on August 6, 2010.Bob was born in Sublette, Wyoming in 1918 to Elise Saxe Krall and William Krall, both German immigrants. His father worked in the Sublette coal mine and his parents homesteaded in the Fontenelle Basin where his father lost his life in a water dispute when Bob was two-years-old. Bob was raised by his resilient and determined mother who subsequently proved up on the homestead and then opened a boarding house in Kemmerer, Wyoming. She called him "Sonny." In his youth Bob spent many summers on the Herschler ranch on Fontenelle Creek. He was a high school athlete and loved to hunt, fish and roam the high desert. During the depression he joined the Civilian Conservation Corps. He served as an officer in the infantry during World War II in the European Theatre and was captured by the Germans in the battle of Monte Casino. After 13 months as a prisoner of war he escaped and made his way to Odessa, Russia. He served as an officer combat engineer in the Korean War. He and Florence Rose Bertagnolli married in 1950 and had four children, Kathryn Morton (Mike Polar), Matthew Krall (Marie Foreman), Lisi Krall, and Bob Krall. Bob and Florence ranched in Boulder, Wyoming before settling in Kemmerer where he worked for the Wyoming Highway Department. They divorced in 1972. He retired in 1976 and married Betty Sutherland Kirk, the widow of Joseph Kirk, one of his best friends. To the Kirk clan he was known as "Daddy Bob." He had three stepchildren, Barbara Jackson (Chuck), Kitty Fouche and Joe Kirk (Betsy). Bob and Betty spent many years summering in Kemmerer and wintering in Florida, first in Naples and then in Cedar Key. Betty preceded him in death in 2001. Bob was loved by his children, grandchildren (seven Krall and 11 Kirk), many great grandchildren, and his community. He was a man who knew the importance of humor, family and place. He taught his children and grandchildren to appreciate and love the simple things in life. He never wavered in his love for the power and grandeur of a small corner of arid country. Memorial services will be held on Thursday, Aug 12th at 10 a.m. in the Ball Family Chapel in Kemmerer, WY. www.larkinmortuary.com
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Published in Salt Lake Tribune on Aug. 10, 2010
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