19
attending Michigan State University. "He
took care of his employees like family. He
was like a father figure to us all."
A good example was at wheat harvest time.
Howe said, if Krafft knew employees were
working late or on weekends, he was right
there to help. "And he did this even after
he retired."
Howe said he set the bar high. "Dick loved
his company, his employees and his family."
John Krafft, Dick's youngest of three
sons, agreed that his father was a "lead
by example" man. In the eulogy at
his father's funeral, he recognized his
father's importance to the community of
Frankenmuth, but also pointed out his
father's ability to build another community.
"He built a community within our family,"
John Krafft said. "He always identified
the good in every person." Eldest son
Michael closed out the family comments by
lightheartedly telling his father the biggest
news of the day. "Dad, the price of wheat
today is $5.06," he said.
Krafft once described his conservative
business practices this way: "We are slow
and sure, never flamboyant or colorful. Just
solid." That was true in all cases but one.
He authorized the pricey restoration of a
1934 Star of the West Ford truck. It was
a beauty. And company officials recently
parked it at the corporate offices decorated
with a funeral wreath in his honor.
He also was conservative in his personal
life except when it came to driving. Mike
Fassezke, President of the Flour Milling
Division at Star of the West, estimated
he spent thousands of hours with Krafft
behind the wheel when they visited
