Paul Harvey Kraft, 92

Paul Harvey Kraft, 92, went to his heavenly home on Sept. 30, 2026. Paul was the fifth and youngest child of Alma (Nommensen) and Walter Kraft, born at home in Kalispell on Aug. 6, 1934. 

He attended Hedges Elementary, Central Junior High, spent his junior year at Concordia Lutheran High School in Portland, Oregon, and graduated from Flathead County High School in 1952. After further study at the Montana School of Mines and the University of Montana, he graduated with a degree in geology in 1956.

Paul first worked at Anaconda Aluminum Company as a chemist, then for Porter, O’Brien, and Armstrong in geological, surveying, and engineering fields. He also worked for the Montana Department of Highways prior to moving to California with O’Brien and Associates. He had some interesting experiences like working on the Minuteman Missile Sites, testing soil for highways in Pakistan, and doing geological mapping for the land which would eventually become Libby Dam.

After the passing of his first wife in 1971, Paul and his two young daughters moved to Kalispell, where he had the support of family members. In 1972, Paul started his second career as a rural mail carrier. It became a position that Paul came to thoroughly enjoy, especially the ability to work independently. He was always grateful when many of his wonderful patrons shared home-baked goods, especially around the holidays. He enjoyed driving his various routes, viewing the beautiful scenery of the Flathead Valley. He retired from USPS in 1994, after 24 years of service.

Paul appreciated the outdoors and liked to fish, hunt, hike, cut firewood, and was known to golf on occasion. He liked gardening, wine/beer making, coin collecting, and he keenly followed politics. Although he traveled domestically and internationally, his favorite journeys were road trips to visit family. Paul cherished family and staying in touch was important to him.

In 2019, Paul moved to Kalispell Assisted Living and Memory Care, and in 2022, to Mapleview Memory Care in Minot, North Dakota. His last residence was at the Benedictine Living Communities in Garrison, North Dakota.

Paul was preceded in death by his parents; brother Herbert (Ruby); sister Ruth (Max) Tyler; brother Albert (Betty); sister Helen (Les) Jans; and his wives Ann (Behnke) and Barbara (Kinshella/Gronley). 

Paul is survived by his daughter Kristin (Glen) Berg of Minot, North Dakota, and their children Abby (Nate) Miller, Kyle (Megan) Berg and Erik (Christy) Berg and their children Owen, Bailey, and Rhett; and his daughter Karolyn (Pete) Vickers of Seattle, Washington, and their three sons Kai, Jaxon and Finn. Also surviving is Paul’s sister-in-law Patricia (Behnke) Anderson and numerous nieces and nephews.

Paul was a lifelong member of Trinity Lutheran Church in Kalispell. He was a man of few words, but he had a strong conviction of his belief in Jesus Christ, his Lord and Savior, which he shared in the following statement: May all of my family, relatives and friends know that I believe God sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to die on the cross for me and all mankind. I pray that all of you who survive me will faithfully believe and put your trust and hope in Christ and receive eternal life through Him. I look forward to that heavenly reunion with all.

A funeral service for Paul will be held at 2 p.m. Friday, Oct. 23, at Trinity Lutheran Church. Interment will be at Trinity Lutheran Cemetery.