With great sadness, we share that Elaine Rose Kraft passed away on December 26 at the age of 77.

Elaine was born on December 3, 1946, to Dorothy and Harold Paszek in Wausau, Wisconsin. In 1968 she married Ronald Kraft and together they raised their daughters, Tammy and Janelle. Elaine lived most of her life in Wisconsin. She worked in retail sales and enjoyed spending time with family and friends.

Elaine moved to North Carolina in 2012. By this time, she had three grandchildren whom she cherished. Tammy married Dennis Mercurio and had two children, Sienna and Bennett. Janelle married Thomas Geffert and had one son, Liam. Her grandchildren brought her so much joy. She was the most loving and proud grandma.

Elaine will forever be remembered for her kind heart. She was always smiling and the simplest things made her happy. She adored babies. On Saturday evenings she looked forward to watching country music shows with her husband, Ron. She loved eating Chinese food and sweets. She'd remember everyone's favorite treats and was sure to have them on hand when she saw you. Of course, this included her grandpups, Lloyd and Lainey!

Elaine's very favorite expression was from the Disney movie "Bambi":

"If you can't say something nice, don't say nothin' at all."

A memorial service will be held Thursday, January 4 at 2:00 PM at Weddington Methodist Church, followed by a casual reception. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you consider a donation to a charity for babies/children. One of our local favorites is Bright Blessings in Matthews.