Kirk Kranz, age 56, of Brookings, passed away suddenly in Valley, NE, where he was working as a construction superintendent on January 15, 2024.  A celebration of life will be held on Monday, January 22, 2024, at 2:00 p.m. at Ascension Lutheran Church in Brookings.  A time of fellowship will immediately follow the service at the church.  Visitation will be held the evening prior, Sunday, January 21, 2024, from 3:00 until 7:00 p.m. at Eidsness Funeral Home.

Kirk was the first child of Sondra (Henricks) and Dale Kranz, born in Aberdeen. His younger brother, Dana, arrived to the scene in Watertown. The family moved to rural Volga a few years later. Kirk graduated from Sioux Valley High School, MN West Technical College, and South Dakota State University.

As a youngster, Kirk thrived in the Volga area. He loved sports, working on cars, swimming, fishing, biking, horseback riding, and music. He quickly made friends, as his love of fun and quirky and clever sense of humor were exceeded only by his huge, goofy grin and infectious laughter. Wherever young people were laughing and having fun, Kirk was sure to be in the thick of it.

Kirk was a man of many gifts and talents. He worked hard as a line cook through high school to help support himself and his family. He loved his mom fiercely and continued to love and support her until her passing in 2014.

From being a devoted husband, to a gentle, soft touch with skittish animals, Kirk's gentle heart was evident. He was always quick to make a person feel at ease, and could strike up a conversation with just about anyone.

In adulthood, he worked myriad jobs. If a person goes to a U of M football game, and looks at a scoreboard, think of Kirk. From Daktronics, 3M, and his current job at Henry Carlson Construction, Kirk worked at a lot of things. It was in his current job that he really hit his stride, and found his niche. This was what he had been working toward, and the hat he loved to wear. Taking a plan to a build site, supervising the implementation of it, playing an active role in the construction, and seeing it come to fruition were the components of this job that Kirk found rewarding.

Unbeknownst to him, Kirk met the love of his life, Susan Negstad, at a very young age, when he first moved to Volga. He captured the heart of a cutie he traded smiles with and waved to at church, and years later, found safe harbor in a loving marriage with her. "Kirk was the perfect calm to Susan's crazy - and she was the wild to his caution". Their home has been open to many, and they have been the world's best aunt and uncle to eight nieces and nephews.

Kirk was preceded in death by both his mother, Sondy and his father, Dale. He is survived by his wife, Susan; his brother, Dana (Dawn) Kranz of Canton, sister-in-law, Sara (Chris) Stensaas; mother-in-law, Mary Negstad; and nieces and nephews Kimberly Lauing and Brian Myers (Wyatt and Colter), Ben and Kirsten Hammer, Brittney and Tigh Faehnrichs (Hank, Charlie, and Coy), Brianna Von Eye, Aidan Kranz, Avery Kranz, and Julia Stensaas, and Nathan Stensaas.