Arlys LaRue Kranau

Arlys LaRue Frahm Kranau was the first of 6 children born to Alferd & Evelyn (Borcherding) Frahm. Her birth on 2/14/1930, took place at their home 1 mile west of Blue Hill, NE. On 7/22/2024, more than 94 years later, she passed away at her most recent home in Blue Hill.
Arlys was baptized and confirmed at Trinity Lutheran Church in Blue Hill. Raised on a farm near Pauline, NE, her education began at District 51 country school. From there, she attended Trinity Lutheran Parochial school, and graduated from Blue Hill High School in 1947. She performed in school plays, played the clarinet, a ukelele, and sang in choir – often as a soloist. She loved to dance, attend movies, and worked at the café owned by her aunt Bertha Frahm.
Her employment with Oscar Kort Insurance prompted her interest in shorthand and attendance at Hastings Business college. She submitted and was published in Ripley's Believe It or Not for an optical illusion drawing.
Arlys was united in marriage to Arlo Kranau on June 6,1948 in Blue Hill, NE and to this union 5 children were raised on the same farm where she was born.
Being shy & bashful, Arlys found joy in creative artistic accomplishments, most of all known for her beautiful wedding cakes & displays. Over 1000 various cakes were decorated from 1951 to 2006, several winning awards in industry magazines.
Sharing her talents as a 4-H leader, many girls learned to sew, cook, sing and model, receiving high awards at local and state competitions.
Prior to 1981, she assisted with farming and dairy duties, raising 5 children, singing for weddings & choir, taught Sunday school, highly involved in LWML, won competition titles in city & regional Mrs. Nebraska pageants, an enthusiast of gardening, square dancing & ball room dancing. Additionally, she co-parented 10 foster children, 5 who have passed on, 2 unknown whereabouts and 3 who've stayed in contact – Leroy Keeler, Joni Parris & Dave Osborne.
From 1981 to 2019, she lived in the Denver, CO metro area near 2 siblings, and all 5 children over those years. Her jobs included cake decorating with Child's Bakery, retailing Mountain Man nuts & candies, sharing her love as a nanny to 3 adorable little girls in Genesee Park, CO and predominately exhibiting her talents as a Professional floral designer.
Her favorite past times were attending ball games, BMX races, Motocross races, pageants and other activities of her grandchildren / great grandchildren – and Sons. She was an avid fan of Nascar (especially Jeff Gordon), PBR, Denver Nuggets, and religious shows on TV. She loved music (especially White Eagle), selling her artistic crafts, gardening, compiling genealogy data & photos, and documenting the foxes who lived in or near her back yard.
Arlys was preceded in death by her parents, her son Jeff Kranau, 1 brother Randall Frahm, 2 sisters Louan Meyer & Karen Schleeter, 2 brothers-in-law Marlin Meyer & Norris Schleeter II, 1 granddaughter Melissa Riehl, and 5 foster children.
Survivors include: Previous husband, Arlo Kranau; 3 daughters, 1 son & their spouses: Julie (Glenn) Willems of Viborg, SD, Deborah Holden, Sally (Don) Curry, Todd (Yvonne) Kranau all of Blue Hill; 1 daughter-in-law, Susan Kranau of WI; 2 brothers, Tom (Mary) Frahm of Goodyear, AZ, Jerry (Cindy) Frahm of Ft Worth, TX; Sister-in-law Shirley Frahm of Ashton, IL; 11 Grandchildren, 23 great grandchildren, and 3 great, great grandchildren; 5 foster children and families, plus many nieces & nephews and their families.
Arlys' memorial ceremony will be held Saturday, August 24th at Trinity Lutheran Church, Blue Hill, 10:30 am, with Rev. Harold King officiating, followed by a celebration of her life. In lieu of flowers, she has requested donations be made to Trinity Lutheran Cemetery Fund. Condolences may be sent to the family at www.mertenbutlermortuary.com. Merten-Butler Mortuary, Blue Hill, Nebraska is in charge of arrangements.
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