Brenda Jo Kratz

Brenda Kratz was born in Spartanburg, SC in 1946 to John and Mary Irene Pritko (Stephens). She attended high school in Frankfurt, Germany and then to Chamberlain Senior High School (Class of 1962).

Brenda went to college at Northwest Florida State College graduating with an A.S. in Business (Class of 1990).

Brenda was married to George W. Kratz, Jr. of Mary Esther, FL. Her son is Mark McCraw of Choctaw, Oklahoma (Dawne). She has six sisters and one brother. They are Linda Matthew (Sidney) of Tallahassee, FL; Janina Cushman of Charlottesville, VA, Leslie Johnson (deceased) (Ray) and her three adopted sisters Vickie Watts of Lexington, SC, Pat Shook of Spartanburg, S.C., and Deborah Hoyle. Her brother: Joe Pritko (Debbie) of Boerne, TX:   grandchildren: Ian Johnson (Rileigh), OK, Mark McCraw II of Norman, OK, Wesley McCraw (Shelby), Meaghan McCraw (Donnell Teal) of Oklahoma City, OK. Brenda was also adopted out to her foster father and mother -Melvin Berry (Helen) of Spartanburg, SC.

She was of the Catholic faith, loved to serve, loved singing church hymns, enjoyed spending time outdoors with her husband fishing and camping and loved to decorate with peacocks as her specialty. Brenda enjoyed spending time with her friends and Mark’s mother in law Dorothy Johnson. She especially loved her dogs Lily and Lulu (Weiner Dogs) in Fort Walton Beach and her dogs in Moore, OK Maggie Mae (chiweenie) and her blind dog Hound (Schitzu). She was a strong advocate for loyalty. “If you say you are going to do it, then do it.” When she was ready to go, she would say “Let’s get it going”.

Brenda has had many different jobs in her life working for Singer, military contractor making bombs for the military, Texas Instruments, Lancome, Vision Store, Shoe Store, worked at the military base exchange as a vendor, cosmetologist, and waitress. But the best job she ever had was being a great mother to her son and great wife to her husband George who worked for Preston Hood Chevrolet of Fort Walton Beach for 40 years as well as a grandmother, great grandmother, and aunt to all the youngin’s she inherited in Oklahoma, Florida and South Carolina. She was an aunt to many nieces and nephews.

Brenda would have wanted to have more research done on Neuropathy and Cancer. So, in leu of flowers, if you would like to, please donate to the American Cancer Society and the Peripheral Neuropathy Association in her name.

Brenda resided at Featherstone Assisted Living in Moore, Oklahoma. She passed away at the Agape Road Hospice House in Bethany, OK in the great hands of the Traditions Health and the staff of Agape Road Hospice House.

In lieu of flowers, please donate to Peripheral Neuropathy Association ( https://www.foundationforpn.org/ ) or the American Cancer Society ( https://www.cancer.org/ ). 

A Funeral Service will begin at 2:00pm on Wednesday, December 2, 2020 at Davis Watkins Funeral Home, 113 Racetrack Rd NE, Fort Walton Beach, FL 32547. A  Visitation will be held one hour prior beginning at 1:00pm. Mrs. Kratz will be buried at Beal Memorial Cemetery, 316 Beal Pkwy NW, Fort Walton Beach, FL 32548 with her husband immediately following the service. 

Condolence can be sent to Mr. Mark McCraw at 14200 South Robin Nest, Choctaw, Oklahoma, 73020.