Klaus Peter Kroner

Klaus Peter Kroner died in his home on the morning of Thursday, July 19, 2023, surrounded by his family.

Born on June 20, 1942, in Erlangen, Germany, he immigrated to the United States in 1954 with his father Dr. Peter Kroner, mother Thyra Kroner, and brother Sven Kroner and would eventually settle in Stevens Point.

Klaus had a brilliant mind and a natural intellectual curiosity along with substantial linguistic gifts. In 1960, he graduated from P. J. Jacobs High School, then enter the United States Military Academy at West Point followed by UW-Stevens Point where he would earn bachelor’s degrees in German and history with a minor in French. He would then go on to attain a master’s degree from UW-Madison in German literature and education.

It was then that he began a career as a highly respected educator at Wisconsin Rapids Lincoln High School, teaching German and French and coaching soccer for 28 years until his retirement.

Klaus spoke German, French, Danish and English fluently and throughout his teaching years, he would chaperone student groups on trips to Germany and France.

In addition to his intellectual gifts, educational prowess and infectious affability, Klaus will most well be known for his monumental impact as a trailblazer who started a soccer revolution in Central Wisconsin.

He will always be venerated as the “father of soccer” in central Wisconsin as his living legacy will continue with every kick of a soccer ball in this region and beyond. The humble beginnings of this legacy began in the early 1970s when, in 1972, the first adult club level team, the Wisconsin Rapids Kickers, would be formed and Klaus would preside as president.

Simultaneous to playing, Klaus would embark upon his life’s work. With seemingly inexhaustible determination and fortitude, he began tirelessly advocating for and organizing resources to start youth soccer programming in central Wisconsin. After countless hours speaking with community and school board leaders, a few soccer balls and nets would be granted and soon lead to the formation of the first high school club soccer team at Lincoln High School in Wisconsin Rapids, which played at the varsity level.

At that time, there were no soccer fields for 150 miles and his teams would need to travel to competitively play in the Fox Valley and Southeast Wisconsin. As the game attracted the attention and excitement of more and more parents, adults, community leaders and children, his soccer revolution gained steam and Klaus would see his mission and vision grow and grow. His dream of seeing as many soccer fields as baseball diamonds manifested itself over the decades since those humble beginnings. A full, European sized regulation soccer field would be constructed at Washington school in Wisconsin Rapids and soon several smaller youth fields would accompany the adjacent spaces surrounding the Varsity field.

Eventually, a competitive adult league, select soccer summer programs at all ages that traveled across the state to play, and recreational leagues and soccer camps would flourish and it was now a reality, that when you drove down streets across the communities comprising central Wisconsin, kids were now seen playing soccer in yards and fields and streets everywhere.

As of the 2022 season, nearly all schools in the Wisconsin Valley Conference have a WIAA Boys Varsity Soccer team playing competitive soccer with many of those cities having summer youth programs for boys and girls at both the recreational and competitive traveling club levels.

After his coaching years were finished, he continued to contribute countless hours to organizing resources and volunteers for youth programs, providing referee instructional courses and refereeing in the central Wisconsin adult league and for the WIAA boys and girls soccer leagues in the Wisconsin Valley Conference. Well into his 60s, Klaus was still running the soccer fields and keeping up with high school girls and boys as a referee and constantly surrounding himself with the game at any chance he could get.

In 2001, Klaus was honored with an induction into the Wisconsin Soccer Hall of Fame at the Bavarian Inn in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He was the first person to be inducted outside of the Fox Valley or southeastern Wisconsin. Needless to say, soccer made it to central Wisconsin because of Klaus’ tenacious commitment to sharing the game he loved and his desire for youth everywhere to have exposure to soccer and access to programs cultivating the beautiful game.

Ultimately, Klaus believed that the growth and development of children and young adults meant being engaged in teamwork, leadership, physical fitness, mental focus, hard work and humility and that these character traits and values were essential in making healthy, productive adults that would contribute to one’s community and country. He taught us all to care for ourselves, make the most of our aptitudes, maintain balance, respect one another, work together, lead by example, be honest and express gratitude and to never, never give up on causes worth believing in. He was a passionate leader and pioneer and the architect of cherished memories that will last for lifetimes far beyond his own.

Klaus was a devoted husband and father who cherished the time he spent with his family and friends. He loved taking walks in the woods, spending time with his pets and watching sports. In winter he enjoyed cross- country and downhill skiing and in the summers, played tennis and golf.

He was captivated as a lifelong learner, always looking for chances to read, engage his mind and contemplate ideas. He encouraged and thrived in discussions about politics, culture and history and loved watching sports, playing trivia and was truly present in every moment he had joking and engaging in lively discussions around the kitchen table with his son’s and their friends. Classical music was the highest form of art for

Klaus and he used it as a form of meditation in addition to vigilantly attending weekly Sunday services at his congregation Trinity Lutheran Church. His favorite food was anything that his wife cooked or baked and he loved traveling to Germany and Denmark, taking family vacations to Michigan’s upper peninsula to downhill ski in the winter and Door County in the summer.

His gregarious personality, affable nature, ability to make lasting, genuine relationships, commitment to serving causes greater than himself and living soccer legacy will never be forgotten. He is survived by his wife, the love of his life, Mary Kroner, as they were married 53 years and would have celebrated their 54th wedding anniversary on February 6, 2024, had Klaus not been taken from this earth too soon. He has now been lifted beyond the bonds of earth and is kicking a soccer ball in paradise right now.

Memories of his love will be sustained by his sons Stee and Nikki (Charisse) Kroner, grandsons Warren Guy and Joel Niklaus Kroner, brother Sven Kroner (Dorothy) and nephews Eric and Scott Kroner.

A funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, August 19, 2023 at Trinity Lutheran Church in Stevens Point, Wisconsin. Visitation will be held on Saturday from 10 a.m. until the time of service at the church.

In memory of Klaus Peter Kroner, please make donations to Portage County Youth Soccer Association or Wood County Youth Soccer Association.