Sharon E. Kraft, 71, of Kanawha, joined her Lord in Heaven on March 13, 2012, with her children by her side in Chanhassen, Minnesota.  Sharon was comforted in her life's journey by her faith and trust in God as she fought a brave and courageous battle with cancer.  Her courage in the face of adversity was truly an inspiration to all who met her. Funeral services for Sharon Kraft will be held on Saturday, March 17, 2012, at 10:30 am at the Kanawha Lutheran Church in Kanawha with Pastors Geoffrey and Charlotte White officiating.  Burial will be at 1:30 pm in Zion Lutheran Cemetery, 250th Street near Humboldt with Reverend Jerry Raether officiating. Visitation will be held on Friday, March 16, 2012, from 5:00 until 7:00 pm at the Ewing Funeral Home, 118 East Second Street, in Kanawha and continue one hour prior to services at the church. Sharon Esther (Abels) Kraft, the daughter of Esther and Dirk Abels and Ellsworth Baxter, was born on October 29, 1940, in Emmetsburg, Iowa. She graduated from Kanawha High School in 1958, and was employed by the Kanawha Community Nursing Home as a Dietary Aide for 32 years. Sharon was a loving mother, grandmother and great-grandmother and thoroughly enjoyed spending time with her family and watching them grow. Weekly family gatherings to share a meal and partake of some games, as well as the annual family reunion on Leech Lake, Minnesota, were very special activities for Sharon. She was an avid reader of books and enjoyed watching a good game of Twins baseball or Iowa State basketball. She also loved to visit her children and their families in Minnesota and take in a soccer or football game of her grandchildren. Sharon will be greatly missed by her family and friends. Sharon is survived by her loving children, Susan (Shawn) Malek-zadegan of Chanhassen, Minnesota and Bruce (Jerilyn) Kraft of Chanhassen, Minnesota; father, Dirk J. Abels of Kanawha; brother, Robert E. (Kathy) Baxter of Plymouth; sister, Marilyn (Kevin) Lehrman of Goldfield; grandchildren, Allison (Cory) Rigler of Ames, Michelle and Matthew Malek-zadegan of Chanhassen, Nathan and Clarissa Kraft of Chanhassen and great-grandchild, Cedric Rigler of Ames. She was preceded in death by her mother, Esther Abels and father, Ellsworth Baxter.