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David William Kranz

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David William Kranz

Birth	:	3 Nov 1945
Death	:	23 Jun 2018 Watertown, Codington County, South Dakota, USA
Burial	:	Saint Marys Cemetery, Watertown, Codington County, USA
Coordinate	:	44.8908005, -97.0836029
Description	:	David W. Kranz, 72, of Watertown died June 23, 2018, at Jenkins Living Center. Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Friday, June 29, at Immaculate Conception Church, Watertown, with the Rev. Paul Rutten officiating. Visitation will be from 5-7 p.m. Thursday, June 28, at the church and one hour before services Friday. Burial will be in St. Mary’s Cemetery. Honorary pallbearers are David’s nieces and nephews. Active pallbearers are Jill Callison, Jim Felten, Maricarrol Kueter, Gary Mack, Rob Swenson and Kevin Woster. David William Kranz was born Nov. 3, 1945 in Watertown to Wilfred D. and Rosella “Sally” Kranz and grew up on their... Read More	David W. Kranz, 72, of Watertown died June 23, 2018, at Jenkins Living Center. Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Friday, June 29, at Immaculate Conception Church, Watertown, with the Rev. Paul Rutten officiating. Visitation will be from 5-7 p.m. Thursday, June 28, at the church and one hour before services Friday. Burial will be in St. Mary’s Cemetery. Honorary pallbearers are David’s nieces and nephews. Active pallbearers are Jill Callison, Jim Felten, Maricarrol Kueter, Gary Mack, Rob Swenson and Kevin Woster. David William Kranz was born Nov. 3, 1945 in Watertown to Wilfred D. and Rosella “Sally” Kranz and grew up on their farm south of Kranzburg. He graduated in 1968 from South Dakota State University, where he majored in journalism and political science. His first job out of college was as a reporter and later city editor of the Austin (Minn.) Daily Herald. Covering politics was a major focus of his, and it was in Austin where President Lyndon B. Johnson, sitting in a car, told his Secret Service agent to move “so this young man can take my picture.” David returned to South Dakota in 1976 to become managing editor of the Mitchell Daily Republic. In 1983, he was hired by the Sioux Falls Argus-Leader as executive city editor. During his 27-year career there, he was also managing editor before returning to reporting and then political columnist. He was known as the “dean of South Dakota political journalists,” and national media covering key races in the state interviewed him countless times. They included CNN, C-Span, the New York Times and the Washington Post. David was also known for his memorable columns, ranging from serious political topics to humorous slice-of-life memories about growing up on a farm and serving Mass at Holy Rosary Church. Throughout his career, he mentored young reporters, encouraging and schooling them in the news business. He also inspired one of his sisters to pursue journalism. Upon his retirement, the Argus Leader established the David Kranz-Argus Leader Media Journalism Scholarship, which is awarded annually to South Dakota college journalism students. His quirks were endearing to his reporting staff. He was the Lt. Columbo of the newsroom. A bit disheveled with a razor-sharp mind, he was a walking encyclopedia, reciting election percentage results and baseball statistics from decades past. It was not uncommon for his reporters to see him with a phone held up to each ear while working a story. He was a master at using the phone to get crucial information that no other media had. In an ode to “The Wizard of Oz,” when a major story broke, he’d often stand on his chair, with his necktie wrapped around his head, yelling, “Fly! Fly! Fly!” to reporters scrambling to get out on the street to chase it down. David retired in 2010 due to early onset dementia and moved home to Watertown. To underscore how much journalism meant to him, he walked around the house for weeks, scribbling on a notepad and claiming he was writing a story for the day’s deadline. On a lighter note, it may have been one of the few times in his career that he used a notebook. He was notorious for taking notes on napkins, envelopes or his hand. He received several awards and honors during his career. In 2004, Argus Leader co-worker Stu Whitney and David won a Scripps Howard Foundation National Journalism Award for Public Service Reporting. They traveled to Washington, D.C. to receive the award. David was inducted into the South Dakota Newspaper Hall of Fame in 2011. But the award he most relished was a Distinguished Alumnus award from SDSU in 2008. That award enabled him to fulfill his lifelong dream of riding in the Hobo Day parade. Wherever he lived, he immersed himself in the community through various organizations. In Sioux Falls, he annually dressed as an elf to distribute Christmas presents to a needy family adopted by the Argus Leader. He also helped serve meals at The Banquet, a feeding ministry. David had numerous hobbies and interests outside of work. He was known nationally for his collection of political memorabilia and helped organize shows where collectors set up tables to buy, sell and trade. He also had an extensive collection of baseball cards, and autographed baseballs and bats. He enjoyed several trips to spring training to watch his favorite team, the Atlanta Braves, and meet the players. His love for the Braves stemmed from his boyhood affinity for the Milwaukee Braves, especially Hank Aaron. In 1962, his parents set out for a Milwaukee Braves game with two happy boys and two grumpy girls who wondered what was in this long trip for them. On a trip to Hawaii in 1977, David discovered that Aaron was also in Honolulu. Using his reporting skills to sleuth, he learned the hotel where Aaron was staying and waited in the lobby for hours. Finally, Aaron walked into the lobby, and he graciously talked to David and signed several baseballs. David was devoted to his parents, siblings, nieces, nephews, friends and co-workers. He was generous with both his time and money, often giving “loans” to family and friends without any expectation of repayment. He helped many adults and children populate their political, baseball and coin collections. His acts of kindness extended to strangers. Once at a convenience store, he paid his bill and then gave an extra $20 to the clerk who clearly was due to give birth any day. “And, here’s a little something for the baby,” he told her. Whenever he knew that friends or relatives from Watertown or Kranzburg were hospitalized in Sioux Falls, he visited them and brought them the Watertown Public Opinion so they could keep up with the news from home. While his dad was still farming, David used his vacation days to go home and help with the harvest. He made many trips home on weekends during his dad’s 12-year span of Alzheimer’s, giving respite to his mother. He did the same to help her in her later years. David is survived by his brother, Ken (Colleen) Kranz of Golden, Colorado; his sisters, Roxy (Mark) Benjamin of Brooklyn Park, Minnesota, and Cindy Kranz (Doug Hladky) of Cincinnati, Ohio; six nieces and nephews; and six great-nieces and great-nephews. His parents preceded him in death. David’s family would like to thank the many faithful friends and relatives who regularly visited him during his final years in Watertown, in some cases traveling long distances, even though the conversation was one-way. They would also like to thank his caregivers at Jenkins who became his extended family. Memorials may be made to the David Kranz-Argus Leader Media Journalism Scholarship, South Dakota Community Foundation, P.O. Box 296, Pierre, SD, 57501. -30- - Wight & Comes Funeral Chapel

frequently asked questions (FAQ):

Where is David William Kranz's memorial?
David William Kranz's memorial is located at: Saint Marys Cemetery, Watertown, Codington County, USA.
When did David William Kranz death?
David William Kranz death on 23 Jun 2018 in Watertown, Codington County, South Dakota, USA
Where are the coordinates of the David William Kranz's memorial?
Latitude: 44.8908005
Longitude: -97.0836029

Family Members:

Parent

Wilfred Kranz

(1919 - 1988)

Rosella M. “Sally” Cordell Kranz

(1918 - 2014)

Flowers:

Nearby Cemetories:

1. Saint Marys Cemetery
Watertown, Codington County, USA
Coordinate: 44.8908005, -97.0836029

2. Mount Hope Cemetery
Watertown, Codington County, USA
Coordinate: 44.9164009, -97.0986023

3. Mother of God Monastery Cemetery
Watertown, Codington County, USA
Coordinate: 44.8678000, -97.1181000

4. Schneiders Grove Cemetery
Kranzburg Township, Codington County, USA
Coordinate: 44.8786968, -96.9435766

5. Spooner Children Graves
Kranzburg Township, Codington County, USA
Coordinate: 44.8786968, -96.9435766

6. Holy Rosary Cemetery
Kranzburg, Codington County, USA
Coordinate: 44.8946991, -96.9182968

7. Saint Josephs Cemetery
Waverly, Codington County, USA
Coordinate: 44.9963989, -96.9697037

8. Kampeska Cemetery
Codington County, USA
Coordinate: 44.8703003, -97.2778015

9. Saint Johns Evangelical Lutheran Cemetery
Rauville, Codington County, USA
Coordinate: 45.0432053, -97.0844650

10. Saint Peter's Catholic Cemetery
Grover, Codington County, USA
Coordinate: 44.8118500, -97.2690600

11. Emmanuel Lutheran Cemetery
Hamlin County, USA
Coordinate: 44.8039017, -97.2671967

12. Oxford Cemetery
Thomas, Hamlin County, USA
Coordinate: 44.7607900, -97.2134400

13. Castlewood Cemetery
Castlewood, Hamlin County, USA
Coordinate: 44.7183200, -97.0264800

14. Saint Johns Catholic Cemetery
Castlewood, Hamlin County, USA
Coordinate: 44.7176575, -97.0239113

15. Goodwin Cemetery
Goodwin, Deuel County, USA
Coordinate: 44.8792000, -96.8242035

16. Bemis Cemetery
Deuel County, USA
Coordinate: 44.8333015, -96.8343964

17. Christian Reformed Cemetery
Bemis, Deuel County, USA
Coordinate: 44.7757000, -96.8751000

18. Evergreen Presbyterian Cemetery
Deuel County, USA
Coordinate: 44.7747002, -96.8657990

19. Esterly Cemetery
Florence, Codington County, USA
Coordinate: 45.0564003, -97.2281036

20. Saint Lukes Lutheran Cemetery
Codington County, USA
Coordinate: 45.0926094, -97.0336533

21. Havana Lutheran Cemetery
Deuel County, USA
Coordinate: 44.7771590, -96.8423800

22. Larson Cemetery
Deuel County, USA
Coordinate: 44.9347000, -96.7893982

23. Swedish Cemetery
Astoria, Deuel County, USA
Coordinate: 44.8499985, -96.7727966

24. Troy Cemetery
Grant County, USA
Coordinate: 45.0513992, -96.8613968