Burton "Burt" Kranzel

1946 - 2019

Burt Kranzel always seemed larger than life although his actual height was a little over five feet. He was fiercely loyal and principled beyond anything practical, a perfectionist who sometimes couldn't see the forest for the trees or the trees for the leaves. He believed old stuff was better than new stuff. He was well-read, philosophical, a rabid political ranter, stubborn, loved all dogs and critters, especially Leonbergers (he had two), old ladies, eating out, anything using electrons more than 50 years old, his wife, Katie, his son, Adam, his dog, Zingo and his amazing friends. He gave two dollar bills to new babies and newlyweds. He told epic stories in possum voice. And he loved reading the obituaries, especially the colorful ones.Burt grew up in the family hardware store in Camp Hill, where he learned everything about building. He followed the Summer of Love to Davis, then to Oakland for photography at California College of Arts and Crafts before starting his life's work of repairing Craftsman and Victorian homes. Burt read Construction Code books for fun. He loved motorcycles, especially his Norton Commando. He had a nationwide reputation as the man who made the Norton electric starter work. When he couldn't ride it the way it deserved, he sent it to Australia so it could zoom as intended, really fast into the far distance. Then he and Katie sold their construction project in Oakland, an 1889 blacksmith shop, and moved to Vallejo, where he divided his time between the Wardlaw dog park and refurbishing antique electrical test equipment. One of his greatest joys was getting a calibration perfect to the eighth decimal.Burt died as he wished, without the interference of doctors or hospitals-just Chinese herbs, aspirin and kind hospice nurses at the end. He was a joy and an enigma with a wide circle of friends. He loved them dearly. We miss him. He was one of a kind.
W00130540-image-1.jpg