Obituary of John Joseph Krassow

Services will be private for John Joseph Krassow who died Tuesday evening after battling cancer. John was 64 years old. John was born at the old Dominican Hospital, the fourth child of Chris and Lillie Krassow. John was 3rd generation Santa Cruz native. His great grandfather, Christian Liebau, came to Santa Cruz in the 1880's using his Civil War pension to buy apple orchards in Aptos, Soquel and Live Oak. As a boy John spent many weekends roaming his great-grandfathers property in Live Oak, which by then included several commercial buildings and residence on it including the home his great-grandfather had built in the late 1800's. John particularly enjoyed the full size baseball diamond including dugouts and a scoreboard that his grandmother had built on the property. John went to local schools including the long gone Grant Elementary School now the site of Grant St. Park. John graduated from Santa Cruz High in 1967. John loved all sports, both playing and watching them. He loved 1950's - 1960's television shows. John was a Disneyland aficionado; he would take his children and later his grandchildren to Disneyland several times a year. He never lost his childhood enthusiasm for all things sports and Disney. John was a memorial counselor at Santa Cruz-Oakwood Memorial for almost 30 years until his fight with cancer would no longer permit him to work. John is survived by daughters; Raina (Greg) and Shana, son Mark (Geneva), grandchildren Grace, Ella and Cameron. He is also survived by his brothers Dale (Audrey), Ron (Linda) and Randy (Janet) as well as nieces and nephews; Cheryl, Stan, Steve, Christy, Dail, Jason, Craig, Eric, Michelle, Chris and Lincoln and numerous cousins, great nieces and great nephews. John was preceded in death by his wife Linda and his sister Delores. If you would like to send your condolences to John's family, share your memories, light a candle in his honor, please visit www.scmemorial.com