Raymond Norbert Krofta

     Raymond Norbert Krofta, 92, of Sturgeon Bay, passed away early Thursday morning, November 11, 2021 at Door County Medical Center in Sturgeon Bay.

     He was born January 28, 1929 in the Town of Gibson near Mishicot, one of thirteen children born to Rudolph and Mary (Kraus) Krofta. Ray grew up Catholic and attended Mishicot High School where he graduated with the class of 1946. He enlisted to serve his country with the United States Air Force entering into active duty on November 28, 1950. Ray served with the 58th Fighter Interceptor Squadron and was awarded the National Defense Service Medal. Ray was honorably discharged from the Air Force on November 28, 1954. He returned home to Wisconsin and went on to study agricultural science at the University of Wisconsin-Madison where he earned his bachelor's (1958) and masters (1961) degrees and then PhD in 1962.

     He married Janet Alice Stoltenberg on September 9, 1961 at St. John-St. Peter Ev. Lutheran Church in Cleveland, WI. They shared over 21 years of marriage.

     Ray taught agricultural economics at the University of Ohio in Columbus, OH, until 1966 and then at the University of Maine in Orono, ME until 1978. He moved to Minnesota where he was employed as a loan appraiser at the Federal Line Bank of St. Paul until the mid 1980s when he went to work for the Federal Line branch in Fon du Lac, WI. Ray "retired" to Door County, WI in the 1990s but was contracted out for loan appraisals.

     Ray loved the outdoors and enjoyed camping, hiking, and skiing in all of the states he lived. While living in Door County, he helped with some of the local Habitat for Humanity home builds.

     Ray will be missed by his daughter and son, Kathryn (Ronald) Berg of Eden Prairie, MN and Mark Krofta of St. Louis Park, MN; his children's mother, Janet Krofta of St. Louis Park, MN; two granddaughters, Jennifer (husband, Nicholas May) Berg, and Jolie (fiancé, Matthew Condakes) Berg; four siblings, Joyce Bavry of Manitowoc, WI, Audrey (Roy) Harvey of Ogdensburg, WI, and Arlene Muehlenberg of Green Lake, WI, and David Krofta of Mishicot, WI; many nieces and nephews; and other relatives.

     He was preceded in death by his parents; eight siblings, Sylvester (Joan) Krofta, Norbert Krofta, Mary Ellen (Clarence) Schultz, Leona (Frank) Buresh, Joan Krofta, Ann Frechette, James Krofta, and Rudolph "Rudy" (Florence) Krofta; and other relatives.

     Ray will be laid to rest in Knollwood Memorial Park in the Town of Kossuth, just north of Manitowoc. There will be no public services held.

     Memorials may be given in his name for any local Habitat for Humanity.

     Huehns Funeral Home, Inc. & Door County Crematory LLC in Sturgeon Bay, WI is assisting the Krofta family. Expressions of sympathy, memories, and photos of Ray may be shared with his family through his tribute page at www.huehnsfuneralhome.com.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Raymond Norbert Krofta, please visit our floral store.