Obituary of Frederick Krapp

It is with deep sorrow that we announce the passing of Frederick Joseph Krapp, a longtime resident of Dawson Creek, British Columbia, on Thursday, March 23, 2023, at the age of 74 years.

Memories presented by Rene Tremblay

Frederick Joseph Krapp was born January 9^th, 1949 in Fairview Alberta and was the youngest child of Adolph & Mary Krapp.  He was a surprise as far as his four siblings were concerned….no one informed Frank, Sal, Hubert or Pauline that he was expected, but when he was brought home from the hospital some 10 days later….this 10 pound baby boy was the answer to their long awaited Christmas wish.  

Fred (or Freddy as he was called by family and friends) began life on the family farm in Friedenstal Alberta.  Being the only little boy at the time amongst his sister Pauline and all the Becher girls, he spent many hours with his dog Buster & the family farm animals.  One day he disappeared while playing with the girls and after many hours spent looking, he was found hiding in a culvert….it was his idea to get some attention….although not the kind of attention he received from his Mom when he was finally found!!

Fred started school at Friedenstal and then in July of 1956 the family packed up and moved to Dawson Creek and Fred continued school at Notre Dame.  I clearly recall walking home from Notre Dame School with Fred when I was in grade one.  Needless to say his 16 year old legs were much longer than my 6 year old legs but he never lost patience with the slower pace.  Most days we would stop at the Park Hotel restaurant where I would eagerly ask the waitress for a coke & Fred would always say “he will have an orange pop”. 

Being only 10 years older, Fred was like the exciting “big brother” that I never had…………introducing me, my sister & brothers to the world of go carts, fast cars, snowmobiles, hockey, baseball ….and even horseback riding on his first horse named “FESTUS” ….after his love of gun smoke. Weekend afternoons were often spent at Lyle & Pauline’s where Fred would pull his nieces and nephews around in a wagon with the three wheel bike….or dedicate hours tying Dean’s socks into knots…while he was wearing them of course!!

He joined our family on many camping & hunting trips that were enjoyed by me, my Dad, and my brothers Steve & Armand.

 My sister Denise & I have fond memories of riding in Fred’s latest sports car or on his newest snowmobile. 

 Many snowmobile trips were made throughout the years….sometimes with 20+ sleds heading out to Bear Mountain and Fred always broke trail for the pack as his machine had the most power.  As young adults we also played Friday night hockey during the winter….just for fun and of course the beer after the game!    He curled in the mixed curling league with his sister Sal, Lucien, & Janet.  Richard started up a men’s slow pitch team called the Rounders where we all had some great times together.  The fall brought out Fred’s love of hunting….he started out hunting with my Dad as a young boy.  In later years he became hunting partners with Richard Frank, Lloyd Smith & Mike Morris and eventually took up hunting with horses and went on trips with Dennis Kesterke up North on the Profit River.      

Fred started his mechanical apprenticeship while working at T&K Service where he obtained his red seal automotive mechanical license.  He went on to work for Inland Auto Centre, Harv’s Shell and then in 1983 Fred & I started up T&K Service once again.  Fred was later joined by his brother Frank at T&K Service until Frank retired and then kept the business thriving with Ralph Calahasen until the day Fred retired.  He loved to socialize, and help people out….keeping vehicle repairs affordable for everyone. 

Fred was always trying to find a way to do something….like in his younger years when he would put his vehicles in his Dad’s name to keep the cost of insurance down.  This worked well until the time he went on a road trip to Edmonton with his cousin Richard & decided to trade his vehicle off and buy a new one.   Realizing the vehicle wasn’t in his name, he came up with a plan….he would just be Adolph and sign Adolph’s name!   So he told Richard he needed to call him Adolph.  This worked great until they were about to make the deal….and Richard called him Fred, and then oops, oops….I meant Adolph!!  They got some funny looks but he made the deal.

Fred was a licensed mechanic… but I have heard many refer to him as a “mechanical genius”. He was always willing & eager to take on most any project over the years using his mechanical and fabrication talents to design & build many trailers, bush buggies & horse drawn wagons to name a few.  The original Go-Cart that Fred built was passed on from generation to generation for many nieces, nephews & great nieces & nephews to enjoy.  Fred would spend unlimited time designing and building hunting buggies …refining & perfecting them only to sell them and start again building a new one. He built a demolition car for T&K Service that he decided I should drive in the demolition derby….his car ended up coming in first place.

One of Fred’s final restoration projects was his Dad’s old Massy Harris tractor which Grandpa got to see before he passed away.  

Fred was a man of habits….he enjoyed his daily coffee time (and a cigarette when that was still allowed at the table)….with Lyle, Doug Bergeron & the rest of the gang … catching up on the latest news, reminiscing and sharing stories.  Lyle was not only his brother-in-law but a very good friend that spent many visits with Fred watching gun smoke re-runs on TV.

Fred kept a clean vehicle and loved to take long drives, cruising around town and out into the country for hours.  During my last visits with Fred I could always be assured that gun smoke would be on the TV and his two favorite foods would be on hand….. which were popcorn and dill pickles with extra salt!

In preparation for this day, I had the opportunity to spend time with my sister Denise Soderquist and she shared with me a poem that she wrote about Fred that so beautifully depicts who he was as an uncle to us.  I would like to share her words with you now…

OUR UNCLE

Our Uncle was a special gift

Received from God above

He was full of kindness

And lots of love

He taught us to do so many things

Just as if he were our Dad

Sometimes when feeling sad

He would do fun things with us

And suddenly things weren’t so bad

His devotion was unfailing

To that there was no end

And as we got older

He became more like a friend

He was always willing to help us, in only

A way an Uncle can

Watching us grow up

He was our biggest fan

He had tremendous faith in us

He had that special touch

It’s no wonder Uncle

Why we loved you so much!!

Memories presented by Tyler Ruttan

Fred Krapp

The stories and fond memories of Fred are overwhelming to capture, but for sure will stay with us for a lifetime.

Fred was a man of high integrity, predictable quite demeaner in the best way – good days or tough days Fred was mentor that one could always count on. In a busy world more of should follow Fred’s ability to find joy in the small but impactful things of life, the stuff that truly matters. One of many examples is Fred enjoyed the local coffee shop every morning, no question solving the worlds problems with the other regular coffee goers. Fred liked Christmas morning, but no question missed the coffee shop for the one day of year he did not catch up with friends. Enjoyed a nice cold Kokanee beer on a Friday after a long week of pulling wrenches at the shop, Fred made time for his circle, with huge respect in the community.

Often on any given evening or weekend many gathered in the red barn – from the odd machinic job like making sure the ride on lawn mower was perfect, to fixing a tug-lines for the horse harness there was always a project. After the heat was installed, year-round focal point for our family. Even housed Lisa’s first red car Christmas morning when she turned 16. From getting horses ready for the annual fall pack trip past Fort St John, to the boys breaking colts, and Lisa spending hours with her horse Paige, the “Red Barn” will never be forgotten.

Fred liked his acreage projects, from running power lines everywhere for the water tank heaters, ditching and small culverts for runoff, white fence posts, and the perfect grass cutting every time, Fred’s acreage was very important. The “little brown Toyota” truck always had a project, pulling trees to the burn pile, leveling gravel to a just so perfection, and not one snowball not pushed correctly. Often, we would ask Fred can we help? – he would just smile and say, ‘no I got it’, he had his perfect ways. From graduations, weddings, to the grandkids running across the yard the acreage was our home. With pulling no punches the old house trailer was no palace, but the open door, Wanetta always making sure supper is on for 6:00, the old trailer will always be the home that matters to our family.

Fred and his brother Frank had that local mechanic shop in Dawson Creek that many counted on – for Fred fixing anything was second nature, he always said, just come back tomorrow and we will have it fixed. Full of smoke from the diesel trucks, smoke the conversations around a cigarette the “shop” helped so many. The bill to his customers was always more than fair, and there was nothing that could not happen at the T & K shop.

In the later years Fred final bought his team, Penny and Kokanee were two saddle horse size sorrel mares, had a few minor wrecks in the start, but always a smile after we got on our way.  Had a path around the field to the east, sometimes all the way down to the old Finnigan’s and around past the Loiselle buffalo ranch. Just like everything else Fred built the most perfect wagon, red in color of course with suspension and hydraulic breaks. – true must haves for Mr. Fred. He would say - we don’t want to loose our dentures or spill our beer; we need to have good suspension, and it did! – hitching the team was always a good day for Fred.

Not many stories from the early days but remember Fred saying a 20-dollar bill would fill his sports car with fuel, buy a box of beer, and still have enough for a steak, the good old days.

Think he had the need for speed, perhaps another incident with a gun and snowmobile that cost him a big toe. – It would have been fun to know Fred in those days.

Many laughs like when the boys put play doo by his bed, Fred was sure the dog made a mess and woke up hot, we still smile on this one.

Our family and others that crossed Fred’s path are better, it’s been a privilege, rest easy you did good Fred.

A Memorial Service was held on Tuesday, April 11, 2023, at 2:00pm from Reynars Funeral Chapel. Pauline Haycock was the officiant. Interment will be at a later date. 

For friends so wishing, donations may be made in memory of Frederick to the Heart and Stroke Foundation, Suite #200-885 Dunsmuir Street, Vancouver, BC, V6C 1N5.

Very Respectfully, Reynars Funeral Home and Crematorium