Beatrice Mary Kranz

She is preceded in death by her husband of 58 years, Frank Kranz, and her eldest son, Bruce Kranz. She is survived by her sons, Dwight Kranz and wife Jeane, Richard Kranz and wife Diane, and John Kranz; her grandchildren Julie Dianne White, April Kranz Larson, Mark Kranz and wife Elizabeth, Brinley Kranz LeDonne and husband Hunter, and Robert Kranz; as well as her great-grandchildren Keila, Ryan, and Nicole White, Rylan and Caden Larson, and Margot Kranz.

She is predeceased by her brother Jimmy Stanley of Swansea who passed away on the same day 13 years ago. She is survived by family members in Swansea including her sister-in-law Fay Stanley, nieces Susan Holmes and husband David, Carol Evans and husband Greg, Andrea Branford and husband Russell, and her great-nieces and great-nephews Mark Holmes, Allyson Owen and husband Alan, Dean Evans and wife Carina, Jack Branford and fiancé David Jones, Daniel Branford and wife Daisy, and several great-great nieces and nephews.

Betty, as she was known, enlisted at the age of 18 and served in the British navy after her family home in Swansea was destroyed by a bomb during World War II. She advanced to the rank of Petty Officer-Wren. She had many adventures serving in wartime including acting as personal aide to First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt on part of her tour of naval facilities in Great Britain.

Betty met her future husband Frank, a U.S. Merchant Marine, at an officer's Valentine’s Day dance at the Mumbles Pier while he was in Swansea waiting for his ship to be repaired from torpedo damage. They were married in Swansea six weeks later before he sailed out. After obtaining an early discharge from the British navy, she immigrated to reunite with him in his hometown of Erie, Pennsylvania on their first wedding anniversary in 1945.

Betty and Frank moved to Houston in 1952 when he started his career as a ship’s engineer with Dow Chemical sailing out of Freeport. She was a homemaker and devoted mother to her sons while they were young, holding down the home front while her husband spent months at sea. Her father, the late Brinley Stanley, with whom she was close, moved to Texas from Swansea and lived with her in the United States for many years to help with the family. Later she worked as a bookkeeper for the Spring Branch School District.

As one of thousands of war brides, Betty was an active life member of the Transatlantic Brides and Parents Association formed in 1947 to help British parents stay in touch with daughters who had gone to America. She made lifelong friends in the TBPA. She served in a variety of official capacities throughout the years and attended many national and regional meetings as a representative of the Houston branch of the TBPA. She loved her life in Texas, but she also deeply loved her queen, HRH Elizabeth II, and was fortunate to meet her at Ellington Field.

She was determined to make it to her 100th birthday. Her family and many friends were delighted to celebrate this momentous occasion with a party in her home several weeks ago. Family from Swansea and others sent video birthday wishes included in the celebration. She was so loved and will be dearly missed by her entire family and surviving friends. Hers was a life well lived.

A graveside service for family and close friends will be held at Memorial Oaks Cemetery on Saturday, March 4, 2023, at 2:00 p.m. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to the Houston SPCA in her memory.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.memorialoaksfunerals.com for the Kranz family.