John Paul Krantz, 59 of New Boston, died Thursday, October 8, 2026, at OSF, St. Anthony Hospital, Rockford, Illinois. Funeral services are 11 a.m., Wednesday, October 14, at Speer Funeral Home, Aledo, where visitation will be one hour prior to services, beginning at 10 a.m. Burial will be in Aledo Cemetery. Memorials may be made to the Krantz family.
John Paul Krantz was born on March 29, 1967, to John Louis and Betty (Munson) Krantz. After graduating high school, he attended trade school for body shop, but his true passion was heavy equipment operator. After leaving Illinois, he spent many years in Florida, where he also worked in landscaping and installed sprinkler systems. Paul was previously married to Valerie Hulick.
Known as the family’s “MacGyver,” Paul could fix just about anything. He was also a natural caregiver who was always tending to an insect or animal. He loved his chickens and ducks, and especially his dogs, Bane and Bell. Around New Boston, many knew him as the man with the pit bull riding on the back of his four-wheeler. He enjoyed hunting, but fishing was his favorite pastime. Living on the bay allowed him to take his jon boat out whenever he wished.
Paul is survived by his sons, Trevor (Austin Anderson) Krantz and Nevin (Alyssa) Krantz; grandchildren, Lorenzo and Lena; parents, John and Pamela Krantz and Betty and Jerry Juras; a sister, Teresa Graham; and many other family members including, a cousin, Sheila Terrill. He was preceded in death by a special friend, Sandra Healey.