Beloved local E.B. Krantz, retired teacher and coach, passed away this week in Lafayette at the age of 77. Krantz was a veteran of the Korean War, a teacher in Macon County for nearly forty years, and a softball coach and umpire for nearly sixty years.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Alta, with whom he had three daughters and a son. They had 12 grandchildren and 23 great-grandchildren. “As their children grew, E. B. and Alta always had all of the kids from around the neighborhood playing in their yard, and they cared for each one of them,” reads the family’s obituary statement. “Their love for their family did not stop with their children. They loved their grandchildren and great grandchildren as well.”

“E.B. was an avid sports fan. He enjoyed watching all sports, but softball was his passion…when E.B. was not at a ball game, he enjoyed hunting all kinds of animals, especially squirrel hunting. He also loved to go wading in the creeks looking for spring lizards to get ready for a big fishing trip. Another passion of E. B.’s was walking the hillsides looking for ginseng… most importantly, he was saved as a young man and was of the Missionary Baptist Belief.

“E.B. will be greatly missed by his family and friends and all that knew and loved him.”