Richard B. Kraus ’54 died on October 31, 2016, in Lake Placid, Florida.

(The following appeared online at stephensonnelsonfh.com, November 2016:)

Richard Bertram Kraus (Dick) was born to Bertram and Freda Kraus of Mt. Kisco NY, on July 23, 1932. He passed on October 31, 2016.  Dick made his way through the Mt. Kisco and Chappaqua Schools until the seventh grade when he prepared for college at the Proctor Academy in Andover NH. Dick spent two years at Bowdoin College then transferred to Bard College for two years earning a BA degree in Business Administration. At Bard he was Chief of the Bard College Volunteer Fire Department and a member of ATO Fraternity. Mr. Kraus volunteered for the draft, serving two years in his country’s military with the 18th Airborne Division of the U.S. Army. Returning to civilian life, he secured a position with Scott Paper Company in Industrial Sales. One assignment landed him in New Orleans where he met his wife of 55 years, Anneta Stanton who was teaching nursing. Dick liked to kid saying, “I got married because I did not understand what she was saying”, i.e. southern accent. Anneta turned the joke back on him by saying, “ I married you because you were the first guy I dated who did not show up in a pick-up truck with a gun rack in back and a dog in the passenger seat.” Dick was soon promoted to the Northwest Sales District with offices located in Seattle. Two years later he and his wife moved to the Los Angeles District where he worked in sales and development, followed by another move to the corporate office in Philadelphia, eventually being promoted to their Urethane Foam Division as Director of the Safety Foam Division. Dick retired in 1996. The Kraus family spent more than 40 years in Wallingford PA before moving to West Chester PA. Dick served on the Board of Swarthmore Episcopal Church. He enjoyed hunting and shooting activities with the Goat Hill Fish and Game Club and the Delaware County Field and Stream Association. Dick and Anneta lived between their home in West Chester PA and their home in Lake Placid FL from 2000 to 2012, thereafter firmly planting their roots in FL. Unity Life Enrichment Center of Sebring became their church home. They were blessed to have been associated with the “Over-The-Hill Gang”, a local target shooting group, which became the nucleus of many fine friends. Mr. Kraus is survived by his wife of fifty-five years, Anneta “Sis” Stanton Kraus, originally of Hardee County FL, now residing in Lake Placid FL. He is also survived by his son, Richard Jeffery Kraus, of Sarasota FL; Karen A. Skalla (husband Mike) with daughters Kaitlyn (Castleton College VT) and Megan (University of Central Florida in Orlando) all of Brownsville VT; and Melinda Schroeder, resident of PA relocating to FL with her daughter Rachael (Florida International University in Miami). We proudly include Connor Collins of Tampa, Dick’s great nephew. This remarkable young man of twelve years has shown extraordinary maturity, devotion, and love toward “Uncle Dick” during his illness. The Kraus family wants to express their heartfelt appreciation for the extraordinary professional and loving care proved to Dick at the Manor at Lake Jackson in Sebring and by Good Shepherd Hospice in Sebring and to Joe Klocik, Dick’s companion/caregiver. The family requests that in lieu of flowers, donations to Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa, Good Shepherd Hospice in Sebring, The Manor at Lake Jackson in Sebring or Unity Life Enrichment Center of Sebring would be gratefully accepted. A celebration of Life will be held at four o’clock in the afternoon of Saturday, November 26th at Unity Life Enrichment Center in Sebring.