Obituary
Dalia Kraut nee Wachtel, age 79, (1942-2021), passed away on December 7, 2021 surrounded by her loved ones. Beloved wife of 56 years to Lawrence Kraut, Dalia is survived by her daughters Laura (Don), Melissa (Gary), and Rena Kraut (Tim), her brother Efraim Wachtel (Esther), six loving grandchildren - Max, Eliana, Jordana, Jake, Ella and Dylan - and many nieces and nephews. Born in Tel Aviv, Dalia was a fighter from her childhood in her beloved homeland Israel, to her time as a young immigrant, to her very last days.
Dalia met Larry at the University of Illinois-Chicago, they married in 1965, and settled down in Highland Park where they raised their three daughters. A Hebrew school teacher at Congregation B'nai Torah, "Mrs. Kraut" started hundreds of local kids on their journeys to B'nai Mitzvot over the years, with a Chanukah mug collection to prove it. Dalia was a hard worker, holding many different jobs until retirement. She enjoyed many physical activities in her healthy years, including skiing, hiking and sailing, and would just as soon sleep on a couch as on a bed in a five-star hotel. Dalia was a pianist and a lover of music from classical to Broadway, a wonderful cook, and a lifelong devotee of kafe tov. She was a born traveler and looked forward to nothing more than her next trip.
Dalia never lost her sharp wit, her wry sense of humor or her innate grit. Her family is grateful for the friends and family that were able to visit in her last days. Although her body could not sustain itself any longer, her fierce spirit and determination lives on in her children and grandchildren. In lieu of flowers, remembrances to the PKD Foundation at https://pkdcure.org or a charity of your choice would be appreciated. Chapel service Sunday, Dec. 12, 10:00 AM at Shalom Memorial Funeral Home, 1700 W. Rand Road, Arlington Heights. Interment following at Shalom Memorial Park. For additional information, shiva and a link to view the service online, visit Shalom Memorial Funeral Home, www.shalom2.com, 847-255-3520.