In Kansas City, Bob fell in love with and married the prettiest girl in town, Carol Van Sandt. In 1957 they headed west to work with Youth for Christ (YFC) in Los Angeles. Bob’s office was in Hollywood on the Sunset Strip! Bob ran YFC clubs for 21 schools in the San Fernando Valley.

In 1959 their 1st born, Kent, arrived in Los Angeles.  Then Roy McKeown offered dad an opportunity to start YFC in Utah.  With Kent and Carol in tow, in 1961 Bob headed for Salt Lake City, to begin ministry there. Bob found it was much harder to generate enthusiasm for clubs in Salt Lake so they decided to bring in prominent sports figures to speak and also show Billy Graham films - this generated new energy and enthusiasm.  He also worked hard to unify the Christian pastors throughout the city.

In 1963 The Three Kranings returned to California, this time to minister in the Long Beach-Orange County YFC program. Bob and one other YFC club director trained leaders and oversaw campus YFC programs in dozens of high schools from Corona Del Mar to Torrance and everything in between, including an "outlier" club in Victorville. He and the Executive Director, Jerry Klippert, also put on a YFC Rally every Saturday night, alternating between Long Beach and OC. To help, Bob mentored two young guys right out of high school who had been in the YFC program as student leaders: Avery Powers and Paul Sailhamer.

In 1964 Bob was invited to return to Los Angeles, this time joining Jack Hamilton in a new concept for YFC...The Valley Rally, in north Los Angeles’ growing San Fernando Valley. The Kranings invited Paul Sailhamer to move with them to assist Bob in founding Alpha Chi and Campus Life Clubs.


From 1964 to 1971 The Kranings lived in the Valley and ministered with YFC. During those years their second son, Kevin, was born (1965). Bob was also beginning to spend summers at Forest Home as the Youth Camp Speaker.


In time, Bob’s heart was focusing more on the ministry at Forest Home than with YFC. Bob joined the Forest Home staff in 1966 to oversee the Youth Conference Ministry there. In 1971 the Four Kranings moved to Yucaipa to be closer to Forest Home and his growing staff leadership role there.

In 1973 Stanley Collins retired and Bob took his place as the Executive Director of Forest Home. Paul Sailhamer joined him there for two years and three summers as the Program and Summer Staff Director.

Bob and Carol hosted Family Camp for over 15 years.  They became the face of Forest Home and many marriages and families were strengthened, encouraged and even saved through their Incredibly dynamic ministry.  While at Forest Home several songs became associated with Bob and Carol...  Good Morning Lord, I am So Happy and of course, How Great Thou Art.

In 1988, after 22 years of legendary ministry at Forest Home, and after surviving a major heart attack, Bob left the mountain and answered the call to join the Pastoral Staff at the First Evangelical Free Church of Fullerton. Bob was the Associate Pastor of Men’s Ministry and Evangelism, as well as the acting Business Manager at several different times using his executive experience from Forest Home.

While serving at Fullerton, Bob and Carol taught in the New Community Class and Bob was a regular featured speaker at many conferences, churches and other venues. When Chuck Swindoll left Fullerton for Texas in 1994 Bob was the obvious choice to step into the pulpit and provide sermon continuity during the search for a new senior pastor.


In 2001 Bob left the pastoral staff at Fullerton to pursue itinerant preaching and teaching under the rubric of “Good Word Ministries.” Bob’s experience during the transition following Chuck’s move made him a much-sought-after interim Pastor at a number of churches throughout California and Arizona. He and Carol also spoke and taught at Couples Conferences together at numerous places including Hume Lake, Forest Home, Campus By The Sea, Mount Hermon, Pine Cove in Texas and Cannon Beach on the Oregon Coast.

As the ministry opportunities lessened time was available to pursue their personal interests and to spend time with the family.  They enjoyed sailing, played golf, went on several cruises and traveled to visit family. 

In 2016 Bob suffered a near fatal heart attack.  Many prayers combined with excellent medical teams resulted in the gift of nearly four and a half more years with us.  Bob and Carol were blessed with several more sailing trips to Catalina, another cruise, 2 trips to Arkansas and many more family gatherings.  He was able to officiate a grand daughter's wedding and meet a few more new great grandchildren.  God was more than gracious to us all for the faithfulness of his servant.

Eventually Bob's heart began to lose the battle.  The weaker the heart the slower the body and eventually it just cant keep running.  He struggled and he ached, but he never seemed to lose his joy.  Even in his final days, Bob found the strength to smile and greet his children, grandchildren and great grandchildren.  He slept a lot and it was hard to walk very far, but he could rally enough to look you in the eye and remind you he loved you and prayed for you.  

Nearly every day Bob would talk about fishing.  He grew up fishing, he loved to fish and he spent his life fishing.  Like the disciples, he left his nets for a higher calling but he never lost his love for the sport.  The fish he caught will not be remembered but the men and women changed forever; that will live with him into eternity.

About 24 hours after he began to lose connection with us, the LORD took him home.  This crazy COVID season made it hard to be together but thanks to technology the entire family was able to connect one last time and even be together in his final hours.  We weep over our loss but rejoice over his reward as a good and faithful servant was welcomed home.