Canning Childs Kraft Jr.

Lieutenant Colonel Canning Childs Kraft, Jr. was a retired U.S. Army Officer of 26 years, defense contractor, and business owner. He was a beloved and devoted husband, father, grandfather, and brother. He passed away on November 4th, 2023 at the age of 66. Canning lived in Alexandria, Virginia for forty years. Canning was born in Mount Holly, New Jersey on October 29th, 1957, and was raised in Moorestown. His family maintained a summer home on Long Beach Island in the borough of Barnegat Light. The “Flying Fish” was in the Kraft family for over 50 years and was a significant factor in his youth. Canning worked in the commercial fishing industry several summers while living in Barnegat Light. Canning graduated from Lehigh University in 1979 with a degree in Government and received his commission as an Army Lieutenant in the Intelligence Branch. He completed graduate work at the University of Colorado while in the 4th Infantry Division and at Georgetown University. He graduated from Army Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. Over his military career, Canning was stationed at Fort Carson, Colorado, Fort Huachuca, Arizona, Picatinny Arsenal, New Jersey, Fort Belvoir, Virginia, Osan, South Korea, Stuttgart and Heidelberg, Germany and Mons, Belgium. He was serving in the Pentagon during 9/11 and then deployed to Charlottesville, Virginia. He deployed for a second year to Guantanamo Bay Cuba. Canning served as the Joint Task Force, Joint Interrogation Group, Deputy Director in Guantanamo Bay. He retired from the Army in 2004. After his retirement from the Army, Canning worked for several defense contractors in the Washington, D.C. area and overseas. He was the founder and CEO of SterlingKraft LLC, specializing in government contracting and consulting, and he founded the Veterans Den, LLC. He was a member of Sigma Nu Fraternity, the Lehigh University Tower Society, Lehigh Alumni Club of Washington, D.C., the VFW and MOAA. During the past two years, Canning was one of the assistant wrestling coaches at St. Stephen’s and St. Agnes School and loved working with and mentoring young wrestlers. He was an avid Philadelphia sports fan, enjoyed attending NFL and NHL games, traveling, and loved fishing in Alaska. Canning is survived by his wife of 39 years, Claire Wilmot Kraft, two children, Courtney Kraft Perry (Christopher) and Canning Childs Kraft III (Dillon), and his granddaughter, Ryan Marie. He is also survived by two sisters, Frances Kraft Cayer and Patricia Anne Kraft. A gathering will be held at Jefferson Funeral Chapel, 5755 Castlewellan Drive, Alexandria, Virginia, on Sunday, November 12th from 2:00 pm - 5:00 pm where a memorial service will be Monday, November 13th at 11:00 am. Interment will be held in New Jersey at a later date. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to The Wounded Warrior Project [www.woundedwarriorproject.org], Gary Sinise Foundation [www.garysinisefoundation.org], or a donation can be mailed to the Trauma Center at INOVA Health Foundation, 8095 Innovation Park Drive, Fairfax, Virginia 22031or [https://foundation.inova.org].

Tributes

Canning Childs Kraft Jr.

October 29, 1957 - November 4, 2023