Bayard
Randolph
Kraft Sr.

BAYARD RANDOLPH KRAFT SR. was the son of William J. and Rose Kraft. He was born in Camden around 1893. His father practiced law in Camden after studying with Howard Carrow.

After serving in World War I, Bayard R. Kraft completed his law studies and joined the family firm. He was a prominent lawyer in Camden for many years. His wife, Marion Childs, was the daughter of grocery store chain magnate and philanthropist S. Canning Childs. The Marion Childs Children's Hospital building on the grounds of West Jersey Homeopathic Hospital, a gift of S. Canning Childs, and named for his daughter, was opened May 28, 1927.

His son, Bayard R. Kraft Jr., is better known as Randy Kraft. He was one of the earliest news anchors in Philadelphia. When he did the news, the anchors were not even called anchors but simply reporters. In just a few years in the late forties and early fifties, Randy was the news anchor on Channels 3, 6 and 10. He moved from station to station and finally went to New York City. Later, he played a recurring role on General Hospital.

Bayard R. Kraft Sr. passed away September 4, 1956. 

Moorestown Sept. 5- Bayard Randolph Kraft Sr., 63, a retired Camden lawyer, died Tuesday in his home, 320 Park Drive.

Born in Camden, he spent most of his life in West Collingswood, moving here 10 years ago. He was a graduate of the Friends School, Camden and the Episcopal Academy, Philadelphia.

His law studies in his father's office were interrupted for two years during War I. He served with a Pennsylvania Hospital unit in France.

Returning from the war, Mr. Kraft passed his bar examination and entered the Kraft Brothers law firm in Camden. He retired in 1950.

He was a member of the New Jersey Bar Association 30 years, the Isaak Walton league, Philadelphia Geographical Society, the executive board of the Chapel of the Air, Lakehurst and a former member of the board if Francis Childs Methodist Church, West Collingswood.

A charter member of the Tatem-Shields Post 17, American Legion, Collingswood, he was also a member of the Moorestown Methodist Church.

Surviving are his wife, Marion Childs Kraft, two sons, Bayard Randolph (Randy) Jr., a network television announcer, and Canning, both of Moorestown, a daughter, Mrs. Allan Bobbe, also of Moorestown, mother Mrs. William J. Kraft, of Haddon heights, and a brother, R. Malcolm Kraft, of Haddonfield.

Services will be held Thursday, at 11:00 AM in the Francis Childs Methodist Church. Burial will be in Harleigh cemetery, Camden. There will not be a viewing. The family has requested donations be made to the Burlington County Hospital Mt. Holly in lieu of floral tributes.