Sally J. (Seward) Kranz

Sally Jennifer (Seward) Kranz of Manitou Beach, Michigan went to join the Lord on November 1, 2024, at the age of 73. A devoted wife, mother, grandmother, sister, aunt, and friend, she will be dearly missed by all who knew her. Sally was born and raised in Toledo, Ohio. She attended DeVilbiss High School, and in her senior year was Editor of the 1969 Pot O’Gold yearbook, which won national awards. After graduation, she attended The University of Toledo to study art, which she continued to pursue throughout her life. She painted beautiful watercolors and took classes at Silvermine in Connecticut. Her favorite subjects were birds, which she loved watching at her backyard feeders. During her time at The University of Toledo, she joined the Kappa Delta sorority, where she made many lifelong friends. She took her artistic skills into the outdoors and created showstopping gardens everywhere she lived. Her roses were universally regarded as breathtaking and earned her several awards from the Dublin Ohio Garden Club. She also inherited a love of travel from her mother, who used to take her on road trips of adventure throughout the United States. During her lifetime, she visited forty-six of the fifty states and marveled over the castles of Europe. Traveling with her family brought her great joy: visiting the National Parks, seeing the Holland Tulips, taking a 50th Anniversary trip to Hawaii, or enjoying all things Disney. However, her greatest joy came from her family. Married to her best friend and soulmate, Gary Kranz, for over fifty years, together they raised their two daughters, Brittany (Kranz) Gillen and Heather Kranz. She always said her proudest accomplishments came from being a stay-at-home mom to her girls. She volunteered in all the schools as room mother extraordinaire, teaching crafts and cooking. She never forgot a birthday or anniversary for any of her extended family and friends, and she was known for her thoughtful cards and generous gifts. An eternal optimist, she sprinkled love and joy everywhere she went. She is preceded in death by her parents William and Harryette (Kirchenbauer) Seward and her sisters Susan Spitler and Sandra Stanton. She is survived by her loving husband Gary Kranz, her daughters Heather Kranz and Brittany (Kranz) Gillen, her beloved son-in-law, who she always claimed was just her son, Ryan Gillen, two granddaughters Sarah and Wendy Gillen, sister Sheila Seward, and sisters-in-law Donna (Kranz) Haar and Mary Pat Kranz. She also leaves behind an adoring group of beloved nieces, nephews, and friends whom she called family. A private family service will be held in Sally’s honor in November, but all friends and loved ones are invited to a Celebration of Life on Sunday, December 15, 2024, from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. at The Adrian College Boathouse at Devil’s Lake (6150 W. U.S. 223, Addison, MI 49220). In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made in Sally’s honor to either the Stiff Person Syndrome Research Foundation (SPSRF) or the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA).

Sally J. (Seward) Kranz

February 17, 1951 - November 1, 2024