Annemarie Franziska Gloeckner (nee Kraft), 102, of Skokie, formerly of Chicago, peacefully passed away at home Thursday, April 3, 2025.  She was born in Germany December 17, 1922, to the late Karl and Franziska (nee Heuer) Kraft.

Annemarie grew up in Wuppertal, Germany with her beloved parents, sisters, and brothers.  An avowed anti-Nazi, Annemarie was the only member of her family able to continue working after WWII.  During German reconstruction, she was a bank bookkeeper who supported her entire family, often sacrificing her own needs for those of her parents and siblings.

Wanting to start a family of her own, and due to the loss of so many men during the war, Annemarie immigrated to Chicago in 1956, after being sponsored by her aunt Amanda Kraft. Annemarie met the love of her life, Adolf, at a German club on his 50th birthday, and they went on to enjoy 44 years of marriage, until his passing on May 25, 2002.

She was a devoted wife, mom, sister, daughter, and friend, who enjoyed kaffeeklatsch, cooking German meals, dining at Martino’s, People magazine, traveling to Germany, and visits from her many friends, family, and extended family.

Annemarie is survived by her loving son Andre and daughter-in-law Marcia Hilliard; brother, Klaus (the late Chizuko) Kraft; and nieces and nephew here and in Germany.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Adolf; parents, Karl and Franziska; siblings, Hans Kraft (who never returned from the Eastern Front), Erika Kraft, Karl-Heinz (Heidi) Kraft, and Margarethe Reinhardt; and several nephews.

A memorial visitation will be held Saturday, April 26, from 1 p.m. until the service celebrating Annemarie’s life at 2 p.m., at St. Peter’s United Church of Christ, 8013 Laramie Ave., Skokie. Private interment will be in Hildegard Cemetery, Conover, Wisconsin.