William "Bill" Kraft, 79, passed away at his home in Collinsville, IL. on October 18, 2022. A lifetime resident of Collinsville, he is preceded in death by his parents Dr. William Kraft and Beverly Stephens, as well as beloved step-father Kent Stephens. Mr Stephens was a survivor of the Battle of the Bulge and shared a home with Bill for over 10 years after the passing of Mrs. Stephens.

Bill graduated with a Bachelor's degree in Biology from SIUE then went on to medical technology school at Barnes Jewish Hospital. He used his education to start a long career at Washington University as a clinical technologist. He spent a total of 31 years working in research laboratories operating an electron microscope, first in the cardiology research lab from 1983 - 2005, then in the electron microscopy lab from 2005 until his retirement in 2014.

When he was not at work, Bill was an avid horseman and history buff, and took a special interest in German history during the WWII era. He also enjoyed participating in the Microscopy Society with his colleagues and friends.

Carrying on his legacy are his best friend Jessie Hardges, as well as dear and devoted friends William L. Berry, Deena Allison, and Dennis Weiss. A visitation for Bill is scheduled from 9 am to 11 am on Wednesday, October 26, 2022 at Herr Funeral Home in Collinsville, IL., which will be directly followed by a funeral service. Bill will be laid to rest at 12 pm that same day at St. John's Cemetery in Collinsville, IL.