Roots of Kay’s Way start with Judy Smith and Kay Krapohl Smith

Multi-year rebuild at Krapohl Ford will result in a one-of-a-kind vehicle Krapohl Body Shop technician Jay Shook works on the frame of Ed Peters' 1974 Bronco. Ed Peters’ vision for the perfect Bronco is in the homestretch. For more than two years, the Krapohl Ford Body Shop and service department have followed Ed’s wish list for his 1974 Ford Bronco. It’s been stripped to its smallest parts and rebuilt from the ground up. In the end, Ed will have a candy-apple-red Bronco with a custom engine. “I’d been looking for one for years,” said Ed, an oil and gas and real estate businessman who grew up in Mt. Pleasant and owns Petro-Vest, Inc. and is president of Apollo Exploration and Development, Inc. “I tried to buy the red Bronco Krapohl has, but they didn’t want to sell.” At one point, Ed took lifelong friend and Rise Machine Company owner K.C. Rise to look at an old Bronco that was for sale. Both agreed it wasn’t a fit. “What do you want?” K.C. said. “The one I really want is your dad’s,” Ed said. “Why not sell it to me?’ He called me back later that night and said, ‘I know you’ll take care of it.’ ” The vehicle is extra-special to Ed because K.C.’s father ordered the Bronco from Krapohl in late 1973. In fact, the original window sticker was still in the glove box. An early photo from when the 1974 Bronco arrived at the Krapohl Ford Body Shop. Ed owned several Broncos over the years, but he always admired the one stored by K.C. in a warehouse. He knew it hadn’t been driven in about 20 years, and it had just around 60,000 miles on it. When he turned it over to the Krapohl Body Shop, Ed told them he wanted a unique vehicle. Body Shop Manager Kevin Telfor said the project would take a long time and that he’d provide regular updates. He made long-time technician Jay Shook the point person. “It will be one-of-a-kind when it’s finished,” Telfor said. “These projects are fun, but in a high-volume shop like this, they take longer. We’ve had some take three years. But when they are complete, the customer has something special.” Telfor hopes to have Ed driving his bright red Bronco by spring 2026, complete with updates to provide the comforts of modern vehicles. It also has a custom engine from Roush Performance and a custom hood that has enough room for the engine. “This is a bucket list thing,” Ed said. “I’m just going to putz around with it.” Krapohl Ford Body Shop technician Jay Shook ensures everything is level while working on the frame of the 1974 Bronco.

Support of efforts such as 5th annual Kay’s Way Supply Drive reflect Krapohl legacy An unassuming, yet powerhouse group of moms, business leaders and community volunteers is the driving force behind Kay’s Way. This year’s supply drive runs May 8 to May 23, benefitting local residents through the Isabella Child Development Center, which has delivered free preschool since 1969, and Foster Closet, which supports youth and teens in foster care. " Kay said I had to find my passions and serve to advance those." — Shelly Smith, right, about her mother-in-law, Kay Krapohl Smith. The annual event generated more than $15,000 in cash and goods in 2024. It is organized by the roughly two dozen members of the Women’s Initiative Committee, which oversees an endowment fund of the same name at the Mt. Pleasant Area Community Foundation. Their inspiration comes from Kay Krapohl Smith, daughter of Bob Krapohl and niece of his brother, Harold, who together launched Krapohl Ford in 1950. They instilled the trait of giving back in Kay, whose 2008 obituary listed more than 30 volunteer organizations she had served. Today, her daughter-in-law, Shelly, follows suit, one of the quietly influential women who help bring high-impact, local projects to fruition. Shelly Smith, a co-owner of Krapohl Ford, is a Women’s Initiative member. She gives credit for Kay’s Way to others, including co-chairs Leah Rau and Shannon Vautrin Brown. She also mentions local philanthropist Judy Smith (not related), who started the Women’s Initiative with Kay in 2003 by raising $80,000 in four weeks to fund the endowment. While Shelly and her husband, Mark, a third-generation Krapohl owner, usually avoid the limelight, she addresses local commitment below in honor of the dealership’s 75 th anniversary. What was Kay Krapohl Smith like? Kay was joyful and enthusiastic. She enjoyed all her volunteer efforts and loved the Community Foundation. Kay went out of her way to help people. I remember her hiring international CMU students who were young, sometimes married. They did odd jobs and she’d have them for dinner. Kay believed people shouldn’t suffer; that if we can give them a leg up, we should. L-R: Mark, Alec and Shelly Smith, Kay Krapohl Smith, and Angie Smith, Kay's daughter. How did Kay inspire your volunteer efforts? Early on, I joined the Greentree Cooperative Grocery board. I’d never been on a board, but Kay was really encouraging. She said I had to find my passions and serve to advance those. Later, with Kay’s experience as a Community Foundation trustee, we opened a pass-through fund at the Foundation to hold all of the donations for creating the Mt. Pleasant Discovery Museum. What’s the significance of Kay’s Way, and what’s your role with it? Kay’s Way supports the community. You can take supplies to Krapohl Ford or Weichert Realtors|Broadway Realty. You can donate to Isabella Child Development Center or Foster Closet through the Foundation. We’re so fortunate to have the Community Foundation — such a trusted organization — safeguarding local philanthropy. As for my role, I help promote Kay’s Way, invite others to participate and have hung posters around town. What’s Krapohl’s involvement in Kay’s Way? Krapohl is a collection site for supplies, and the staff gets involved by contributing. Mark designates a day — May 21 this year — when 100% of oil change revenue from Quick Lane Tire and Auto is donated to the supply drive. Literally every penny someone pays for an oil change that day will go to Isabella Child Development Center and Foster Closet. What are your thoughts on Krapohl’s 75 th anniversary? It’s amazing to think of Krapohl Ford as part of the community for 75 years. We’re thankful for how the community and dealership have provided not only for our family, but for the families of everyone who’s worked for Krapohl since 1950. Mark is deeply committed to the community. It means a lot to support organizations that were important to his mom, dad, grandparents and now to us, including the Mt. Pleasant Discovery Museum and Sleepy Dog Books Foundation. #LocalDealershipLocalCommitment

Love of cars led Jeff Slocum to a life on Krapohl service desk Krapohl Ford Service Manager Jeff Slocum works daily with customers, service technicians and service advisors and the parts department. As a student at Coleman High School, Jeff Slocum loved working with automobiles. “Manuel Hagon was my automotive instructor, a great man. He just drew my interest in it, and I liked solving problems and fixing things. It was rewarding,” Jeff said. By the time he was 19, he was close to earning his associate’s degree in automotive technology and took a job as a service advisor at a dealership in Midland. “You know, I had every intention of wrenching for a living, but it never worked out that way,” said Jeff, now in his 29 th year at Krapohl Ford — the past six as service manager. “I hired on in Midland and worked there as a service advisor for about nine months.” A fondness for constant action with a commitment to people A sales job at another dealership was next, but Jeff missed the action of the service desk. He landed at Krapohl as a service advisor, hired by then general manager Brian Smith, whose son, Mark, today is a third-generation co-owner of the dealership. “Krapohl parted ways with two service managers in the first year I worked here. The owners talked to me a little bit about the role. I told them I wasn't 100% sure I was ready. I was still quite young, 21 years old.” Jeff continued to gain confidence and experience, and saw how the service desk is the center of multiple departments working together to put customers back on the road. For instance, if a customer calls with an issue about their vehicle, the service team works out an appointment time, then certified mechanics diagnose the issue. If parts are needed, the service team coordinates with Krapohl’s parts department. Similarly, customers in the Quick Lane Tire & Auto Center at Krapohl may end up needing work from the service department if a brake issue or other mechanical problem is spotting during an oil change. Jeff is usually found at the end of the service counter, talking with customers or discussing next steps with the service advisors. “I do care a lot about people,” Jeff said. “My approach is to listen to the customers and take care of them. That's all we need to do. The rest will take care of itself.” Bringing others into an evolving business Over his four decades at dealerships, vehicle electronics and technology have changed what technicians and advisors need to know. “Everything's gone to electronics; something's always being checked or monitored by a system,” Jeff said. “You need to have more knowledge to work with vehicles now than you did years ago.” Jeff has helped advance a number of careers at the dealership, both recruiting good people and helping team members excel. He’s also been part of an advisory group for the Gratiot-Isabella Technical Education Center for more than 30 years and has organized behind-the-scenes tours of Krapohl Ford for students interested in automotive repair. Some have become Krapohl employees.