Irmgard Erna Kranz, Loving Mother
Irmgard Erna Kranz (née Klein) passed away at the age of 97 on Monday, September 30, 2024, at approximately 12:45 p.m., on the sixth floor hospice wing at Christiana Care Hospital in Newark, Delaware. She is survived by her daughter, Amy Kranz Pierson (David Pierson), and her son, Paul John Kranz III (Claudia Jacobs Kranz); six grandchildren, Britta Cahoon (Adam), Anitra Pierson, Reeve Pierson, Olivia Zelaya (Raúl), Carl Kranz and Lydia Kranz; and two great- grandchildren, Kadence Januario and Joaquin Zelaya. She is also survived by a niece, Lonnie Miller, and her children, Sarah and Ron (Cheryl), and their children, as well as her German family, a dear sister- in-law, Gisela Klein, and her three children, Sabine Schweigmann (Andreas), Rolf Klein (Tanja) and Eckhard Klein, and their families.
Irmgard was born on December 28, 1926, in Darmstadt, Germany, to Ludwig and Elisabeth Klein-Bonin. She had an older sister, Gertrud, and a younger brother, Rudolf. The Klein family moved from Darmstadt to Beerfelden briefly, when Irmgard was two, and then to Grünberg (Green Mountain) when she was about to enter public school. The Klein home was one of culture and beauty, with a great appreciation of visual art, music and literature. Ludwig Klein held the government position of Director of Internal Revenue and was well respected in his community. He fought in Poland in World War I and lost his hearing in one ear from a grenade blast. He played the guitar and the flute and loved to take nature walks. Irmgard’s mother, Elisabeth, was a visual artist who cried when it was announced in 1939 on the family radio that Germany had invaded Poland. The family still has several of her paintings and works of art. Sadly, Elisabeth lost her life in March of 1945 when air raids bombed Grünberg, shortly before the end of the war.
Irmgard was drawn to the English language, and at age 16, her sister loaned her a copy of the American novel “Gone with the Wind” by Margaret Mitchell, which deepened her fascination with the English language. After the air raids left her house in ruins, with so many people displaced, the book became real to her and she saw her older sister, Gertrud, as Scarlett O’Hara, risking her life to salvage what she could from home. In 1946, after the war, Irmgard finished her high school education in Friedberg. She served as a nanny, attended evening school, learned stenography and typing, then worked in Cologne for a publishing company and worked there for six years.
As a young woman in her late 20s, Irmgard emigrated to the United States in 1954. She moved into the Milbank House, a women’s residence in New York City, and found a job with McGraw Hill through ads in The New York Times. A year and a half later, she accepted a new job at Barnes & Noble. On July 4, 1955, she met Paul J. Kranz, Jr., a Rutgers graduate and metallurgist, at a holiday picnic in Fanwood, New Jersey. They met again that winter and began dating, marrying in January, 1957, at The Presbyterian Church in Westfield. They lived in an apartment in Plainfield, and in 1958, their daughter, Amy, was born. Irmgard became an American citizen in 1960. Their son, Paul, was born in 1965. They moved to their first house in South Plainfield, then moved to Westfield in the late 1960s, where they raised their kids and lived for 20 years, until 1987. Irmgard was active in the Westfield church, teaching Sunday School, serving as a Deacon, and helping elders in the community by visiting them frequently as Sunshine Chairperson.
Irmgard loved the family pets they had during this time in her life, including two beagles (Pretzel and Betsey) and one cat (Tiger Lily). She and her husband, Paul, gave both of their children the opportunity to attend four- year colleges. Education was important to them. In 1987, the couple retired to East Stroudsburg, Pa., in the Poconos, where they had honeymooned. The area reminded Irmgard of her homeland. They enjoyed their retirement years there, attending the East Stroudsburg Presbyterian Church. Irmgard worked as a volunteer at PATH House (Pocono Area Transitional Housing), a shelter for women and children of Monroe County who need assistance. The director of PATH House at that time, Sharon Taylor, described Irmgard as “a wonderful lady, full of compassion, (who) has been the cornerstone of the organization since it began…” In 1997, Irmgard was awarded Volunteer of the Year at PATH House.
After 39 years of marriage, her husband, Paul, passed away in 1996, of cancer. Irmgard cared for him in their home for the final nine months of Paul’s life, with the help of hospice. He died peacefully in their home, thanks to his loving wife and terrific hospice workers and volunteers.
In 2005, Irmgard moved to Friends Village in Woodstown, N.J., to be closer to her family. She lived in an independent living apartment and was very involved in many activities, including organizing schedules for ministers to hold worship services weekly on campus for residents. She also attended the Presbyterian Church in Woodstown. In the spring of 2012, she moved to Assisted Living at Friends Village when she started to struggle with memory loss, and in February of 2021, she moved to Southgate Healthcare (now Autumn Lake Healthcare at Southgate) in Carneys Point when the health care unit at Friends abruptly closed. The staff at Autumn Lake welcomed her and she enjoyed living there for the remainder of her life.
The family is planning two memorial services for Irmgard. The first one will be held at the Asbury United Methodist Church, 149 South Main Street, Woodstown, N.J. 08098, on Friday, November 1. Visitations with the family will be from 10 to 11 a.m., followed by a Memorial Service at 11 a.m., and then a luncheon following at the church. The following day, Saturday, November 2, there will be a graveside service at the Presbyterian Church Cemetery (Revolutionary Cemetery) in Westfield, 125 Mountain Avenue, Westfield, N.J., at 11 a.m. All are welcome to attend either memorial service.
In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the PATH House, 120 Park Avenue, Stroudsburg, Pa. 18360, where Irmgard volunteered for a number of years in the 1990s. She loved her work at PATH and we would like to honor her memory through this organization. Go to pathhouse.org to learn about the organization and make a donation. Please visit htlaytonfh.com to leave a note of condolence to her family. Arrangements are by the H.T. Layton Funeral Home & Cremation Service in Woodstown.
October 10, 2024