John F. Kranz

John F. Kranz, 96, of Lake Barrington, died peacefully on September 16, 2026, with his family by his side.

John was born in Evanston to parents Dietrich and Centa (nee Kundinger) Kranz and grew up in Morton Grove before his family moved to Barrington in 1947. Following graduation, John went to work for his dad full-time at the family-run gas station in town. He also joined the Naval Air Reserve and worked part time on a maintenance squadron working on aircraft engines. He married Mary Jane “Janie” Malone in 1952 and together the couple had six children.

John joined the Barrington Fire Department in 1957, which he considered one of the best things he ever did, (besides marrying Janie and having such a great family). John moved up the ranks within the Department and in 1979 he was elected Fire Chief, a position he held until 1982, when Barrington got its first full-time Fire Chief. John remained with the department until 1995.

When John's father retired from the gas station business in 1965, John took on a partner and together they ran the business. In 1973 they moved the auto repair business to its current location in town. When his partner retired in 1977, John’s son, Tom, joined the business and they worked together until John retired in 1992

In his retirement, John and Janie moved to Florida, where he finally had time to develop his passion for golf earning several club Championships and joining the Hole-In-One club several times. John was a dedicated husband and father who worked hard to provide for his family. He will be dearly missed by all who knew him.

John is survived by his beloved wife of 74 years, Mary Jane Kranz, his children, Cathy (Tim) Schulze, Tom (Linda) Kranz, Jackie (Mike) Maturo, and Patty Mitchell, his 14 grandchildren, and 15 great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his parents, his children Mike Kranz and Donna (Dave) Fernekes and his siblings, Chuck Kranz, and Dorothy Nielsen. 

Funeral Mass will be Wednesday, September 23, 2026, at 10:30 a.m. with a visitation the hour prior, all at St. Anne Catholic Church, 120 Ela Street, Barrington, IL 60010.

Inurnment to follow Mass at St. Michael the Archangel Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, memorials in John's name can be made to JourneyCare Hospice.