Clifford W. Kraase

Clifford Wayne Kraase died September 17, 2023 at Kensington Care in Waukesha, Wisconsin at the age of 84. Clifford was born on March 17, 1939 to Walter and Celia (née Anderson) Kraase in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

After his parents’ deaths about a year apart and after serving in the Navy Reserves in high school, Clifford enlisted at 18 in the US Navy where he served as a radio operator, traveling to Japan and Australia and other places abroad. After completing his service, Clifford enrolled in Milwaukee School of Engineering but left before completing a degree due to health problems. He went on to manage Mobile service stations in the '60s along with running a midget car racing team. He later competed as a driver at various tracks in the Midwest. Clifford continued to pursue his passion in mechanics in the automobile industry as a service manager at car dealerships in the Milwaukee area, owned his own automotive body shop and later became a truck driver.

Clifford’s family and friends remember him as a highly intelligent and gifted mechanic who could fix and build cars from the ground up. He was a consummate problem solver who approached challenges with a positive attitude. He was passionate about cars, motorcycles and racing, and sharing that with his children. Clifford was also well-known for his kindness, generosity, dry sense of humor and patience (especially when teaching his children to drive and repair cars or building a working HealthKit TV).

In 1996, Clifford suffered a traumatic brain injury. In the ensuing years, Clifford suffered from dementia and became bedridden. Still, he was a favorite of the nursing staff, due to his personality and smile.

Clifford will be dearly missed by his children Genny Kilpatrick, Jeff (Ann) Kraase, and Amy (Alan) Gilgenbach. He is also survived by his brother Ronald (Karen) Kraase. He is further survived by his grandchildren – Randall (Galina) Jacobson, Alyssa Jacobson, Alex Jacobson, Matthew Kilpatrick; Evan Gilgenbach, Colin Gilgenbach; Madison Kraase, Ashley Kraase; Jenson Kraase; and Sean Kraase. Great-grandchildren Liam and Ariana Jacobson, and Natalia Poland. Nephew Chris (Jennifer) Kraase, niece Carrie (Jay) Swanson.

Visitation will be held at Ascension Lutheran Church, 1415 Dopp St., Waukesha, Wisconsin, on Friday, October 13, at 10 a.m. followed by a memorial service at 11 a.m. In lieu of flowers, the family asks for memorials to Ascension Lutheran Church, Waukesha, or your local veterans’ association.