Benjamin Patrick Kratzer

Benjamin Patrick Kratzer, 56, of Spring Hill, Florida, formerly of Coggon, Iowa, passed away on Sunday, January 26, 2025, at Sturgill Hospice House in Brooksville, Florida. Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, February 15, 2025, at Murdoch Funeral Home & Cremation Service, located at 3855 Katz Drive, Marion, Iowa 52302. Visitation will be held from 4:00 - 7:00 p.m. on Friday, February 14, 2025, and an hour prior to services on Saturday, also at the funeral home. Burial, with full Military Honors, will be at the Coggon Cemetery in Coggon.

Benjamin was born November 19, 1968, in Coggon, the son of Patrick Michael and Nancy Mae (Reddick) Kratzer. He graduated from North Linn High School with the class of 1987. Benjamin earned his bachelor’s degree from Mount Olive College and his master’s degree from American Military University. He enlisted in the US Air Force and served for 20 years, retiring as a Master Sergeant on August 31, 2010. After retiring from the Air Force, Ben worked for the Veteran’s Administration. He was united in marriage with Christina Lin Butler on August 12, 2018, at their home in Titusville, Florida.

Survivors include his wife, Christina “Tina” Butler of Spring Hill, Florida; his mother, Nancy Kratzer of Cedar Rapids, Iowa; three sons, Ian, Tad, and Zak Kratzer and their mother and Ben’s former wife, Tamika Etter, of Cedar Rapids; his sister, Tricia (Adam) Roszkowski of Pleasant Hill, California; niece, Katarina (Nikolas) McEssey; nephew, Alexander Roszkowski; and great nephew, Kaiden Roszkowski.

He was preceded in death by his grandparents and his father, Patrick M. Kratzer.

Memorials in Benjamin’s memory may be directed to the American Cancer Society.