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John Karaff

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John Karaff

Birth
Hamilton, Marion County, Iowa, USA
Death
14 Mar 1968 (aged 57)
Independence, Jackson County, Missouri, USA
Burial
Marceline, Linn County, Missouri, USA Add to Map
Memorial ID
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John Karaff obit:

John Karaff Dies Following a Heart Attack

A former Kirksville resident, John Karaff, 57, of Independence died unexpectedly early Thursday morning following a heart attack.

Born May 10, 1910 in Hamilton, IA, he was the son of Michael and Mary (Sisak) Karaff. At the age of eight he moved with his parents to Adair county. He married Mabel Morehead and to this marriage three children were born, Later he married Viola Wallander who survives.

Also surviving are two sons, Dale Karaff of Vidor, TX, and Lloyd Karaff of Fort Madison, IA; one daughter, Joyce Karaff, of Okechobee, FL. three grandsons; three sisters, Mrs. Richard (Julia) Cole of Independence, Mrs. Carter (Mary) Patton of Route 5 of Kirksville; and Mrs. Michael (Anna) Biros of Novinger, and four brothers, Gene Karaff of Independence, Joe Karaff of Raytown, Raymond Karaff of North Kansas City and George Karaff of 1008 N. Edgar/

He was preceded in death by one infant son, [Ronald Lee Karaff].

Mr Karaff attended public schools in Kirksville. Before moving to Independence 15 years ago he resided in Marceline.

He had been a construction worker most of his life, and at the time of his death, he was employed with the Krantz Construction Company. He was a member of the Mary Immaculate Church of Kirksville.

Mr. Karaff was a veteran of World War II, serving with the United States Navy.

The body was at the Carson Funeral Home in Independence where funeral services were held Saturday morning at ten o'clock. Graveside services were held Saturday afternoon at 2:30 in the Mt. Olive Cemetery at Marceline, [MO].
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It was 10 degrees below zero in Kirksville, Missouri on December 13, 1932.

John Karaff and Mabel Irene Morehead (Me) planned to be married on that day. The minister that we intended to have perform the ceremony, came down with the flu, so when a Baptist Missionary at the License Bureau offered his services, we accepted, and were married on the spot. My new dress and shoes were hanging in the closet at my apartment, and John's new white shirt and tie were in a package under his arm. So what! We were married -- after a courtship of nearly five years.

John Karaff was born in Hamilton, Iowa, and came with his parents, Michael and Mary Sisak Karaff, to Adair County, Missouri when he was ten years old. They lived on a farm about a mile from the farm where I grew up. We both attended Rural Dell School, where we met as children. Of course, we couldn't stand each other for several years. Eventually, things changed -- not things, but us. However, it took several years of growing up for us to find that we were in love.

After eighth grade graduation, I went to Kirksville to school, and John went to work for Pittsburg-DesMoines Steel Co. building bridges. Those were the "Great Depression" years. Jobs were not plentiful, so he was out of work a lot of the time. Between jobs, he helped out on the farm, ran a hoist at a coal mine, worked on cars, sawed wood, and all sorts of odd jobs.

On January 10, 1931, his father died. John and his father were very close and this loss grieved him deeply. I don't think he ever stopped missing his father.

John had a unique talent for mechanics, almost to the point of genius. Any kind of motor that would not run held a challenge for him. After completing a course in Arc Welding, he became a Master of the art. He set up a shop in Marceline, Missouri, which he owned and operated for several years. That is where our troubles began, and I might add, also ended. We were divorced in October 1950.

During our marriage we had four children -- three boys and a girl. We lost our second son, Ronald Lee, in 1942 when he was fifteen months old. The other three are all married with families of their own. Our children have been my greatest joy and blessing.
—Mabel Morehead Karaff
John Karaff obit:

John Karaff Dies Following a Heart Attack

A former Kirksville resident, John Karaff, 57, of Independence died unexpectedly early Thursday morning following a heart attack.

Born May 10, 1910 in Hamilton, IA, he was the son of Michael and Mary (Sisak) Karaff. At the age of eight he moved with his parents to Adair county. He married Mabel Morehead and to this marriage three children were born, Later he married Viola Wallander who survives.

Also surviving are two sons, Dale Karaff of Vidor, TX, and Lloyd Karaff of Fort Madison, IA; one daughter, Joyce Karaff, of Okechobee, FL. three grandsons; three sisters, Mrs. Richard (Julia) Cole of Independence, Mrs. Carter (Mary) Patton of Route 5 of Kirksville; and Mrs. Michael (Anna) Biros of Novinger, and four brothers, Gene Karaff of Independence, Joe Karaff of Raytown, Raymond Karaff of North Kansas City and George Karaff of 1008 N. Edgar/

He was preceded in death by one infant son, [Ronald Lee Karaff].

Mr Karaff attended public schools in Kirksville. Before moving to Independence 15 years ago he resided in Marceline.

He had been a construction worker most of his life, and at the time of his death, he was employed with the Krantz Construction Company. He was a member of the Mary Immaculate Church of Kirksville.

Mr. Karaff was a veteran of World War II, serving with the United States Navy.

The body was at the Carson Funeral Home in Independence where funeral services were held Saturday morning at ten o'clock. Graveside services were held Saturday afternoon at 2:30 in the Mt. Olive Cemetery at Marceline, [MO].
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It was 10 degrees below zero in Kirksville, Missouri on December 13, 1932.

John Karaff and Mabel Irene Morehead (Me) planned to be married on that day. The minister that we intended to have perform the ceremony, came down with the flu, so when a Baptist Missionary at the License Bureau offered his services, we accepted, and were married on the spot. My new dress and shoes were hanging in the closet at my apartment, and John's new white shirt and tie were in a package under his arm. So what! We were married -- after a courtship of nearly five years.

John Karaff was born in Hamilton, Iowa, and came with his parents, Michael and Mary Sisak Karaff, to Adair County, Missouri when he was ten years old. They lived on a farm about a mile from the farm where I grew up. We both attended Rural Dell School, where we met as children. Of course, we couldn't stand each other for several years. Eventually, things changed -- not things, but us. However, it took several years of growing up for us to find that we were in love.

After eighth grade graduation, I went to Kirksville to school, and John went to work for Pittsburg-DesMoines Steel Co. building bridges. Those were the "Great Depression" years. Jobs were not plentiful, so he was out of work a lot of the time. Between jobs, he helped out on the farm, ran a hoist at a coal mine, worked on cars, sawed wood, and all sorts of odd jobs.

On January 10, 1931, his father died. John and his father were very close and this loss grieved him deeply. I don't think he ever stopped missing his father.

John had a unique talent for mechanics, almost to the point of genius. Any kind of motor that would not run held a challenge for him. After completing a course in Arc Welding, he became a Master of the art. He set up a shop in Marceline, Missouri, which he owned and operated for several years. That is where our troubles began, and I might add, also ended. We were divorced in October 1950.

During our marriage we had four children -- three boys and a girl. We lost our second son, Ronald Lee, in 1942 when he was fifteen months old. The other three are all married with families of their own. Our children have been my greatest joy and blessing.
—Mabel Morehead Karaff


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