Family 101
Krantz family celebrates 101 years in the Mission Valley
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ST. IGNATIUS —More than 300 members of the Krantz family celebrated 101 years in the Mission Valley at their family reunion in St. Ignatius.
The original Krantz homestead was located three and a half miles south of St. Ignatius. The family moved there in 1910 and lived in tents until the house was finished in 1916. The material for the house was purchased through mail order, transported from Ravalli to the Pistol Creek home site using horses and wagons. After 66 years, the house was completely torn down in 1982. The land where the house once stood is vacant and is still owned by the Krantz family.
Ben and Addie Krantz were married May 15, 1894. The couple followed Ben’s uncle George Gibbs, a Methodist minister, out west and eventually to their current location in the Mission Valley. Ben and Addie Krantz had nine daughters: Zulema, Rochelle, Azilee, Rene, Margie, Dorothy, Esther, Annie and Lucille. They also had five sons: twins Harvey (Soup) and Harley, Vern, Frank and Woody. Ben and Addie celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in 1944. Five years later Ben passed away. Addie died on March 24, 1961 at 84.
“It is amazing to think of that adventurous spirit,” Pam Friesen said. “They didn’t know what to expect. I guess I have some of that spirit because I married a Canadian.”
Friesen, whose maiden name is Krantz, grew up in the Polson and Ronan area but now lives in Calgary. Her parents are Bonnie and Tom Krantz. She is the granddaughter of Frank Krantz and the great-granddaughter of Ben and Addie Krantz.
“I come to see all the cousins,” she said. “They are all grown up and have families now.”
Friesen grew up attending family reunions and remembers her family always getting together during the 4th of July and Christmas.
“It’s about community. We are a family that values being together,” Frisen said.
At Leon Hall a few miles north of St. Ignatius, the family gathered, wearing different colored shirts to distinguish the different branches of the Krantz’ large family tree.
Those wearing royal blue are the descendants of the Zulema Freshour family, pistachio for Lucky Lavern, maroon for Frank Krantz, jade green the Azilee Eye family, pink for the Lorena Grubb family, violet the Marjie Rosenbaum family, red the Annie Rosenbaum family, white for the Woody Krantz family, aqua for the Soup Krantz family, hot pink for the Harley Krantz family and tie dye represented the Dorothy Crawford family.
“I know all the people wearing red shirts,” Kimber Thompson of Gillette, Wyo. said as she tried to wrangle her group together for a family photo.
Thompson said she drove up from Wyoming and her daughter Alexandra flew from Phoenix where she attends college.
“We are all over the U.S. and we are so not close to all being here,” Thompson said.
The reunion included family members participating in the Good Old Days parade in downtown St. Ignatius. The Krantz family reunion float took second place in their category, which required three flatbed trucks to carry the 200 participants.
Kenny and Kay Krantz organized this year’s reunion, which in addition to the parade included a lunch, auction, dinner, various activities such as horseshoes and volleyball and a CD containing family information and history.
Kenny’s parents are Harvey “Soup” Krantz and Verna Krantz. At 91, Verna and her sister Ruth are two of the oldest members in the family. Ruth married Harvey’s twin brother Harley.
“It’s been a challenge to get it all together,” Kenny said. Some of the duties he and his wife Kay undertook were sending out emails, filling out the genealogy, registration, preparing the food, and picking up the T-shirts in Salt Lake City.
“It’s tradition and we just do it,” Kenny said of all the work to prepare for the reunion.
In addition to celebrating his family’s 101 years in the Mission Valley, this year is also Kenny’s 50th high school reunion. He was a member of the 1961 class at St. Ignatius High School. He is one of three surviving classmates.
The task of organizing the reunion moves from family to family every five years. Last year the Frank Krantz family hosted the event. This year was the Harvey “Soup” Krantz family.
As the day winds down and the different branches of Krantz families depart for separate activities, Kenny stands inside Leon Hall surrounded by family members participating in the auction to offset costs of this year’s reunion and fundraise for the next one.
“It’s been a good experience,” Kenny said. “It makes your heart feel good.”
