Kraigher Kristofferson, Seven Years Younger Brother Than Kris Kristofferson, Takes Pride in His Military Service

A caring Hispanic nanny named Juanita Cantu raised Kris and his siblings. Juanita was only 13 when the Kristofferson family hired her as their nanny.

Kris Kristofferson, 88, died peacefully at his home in Maui, Hawaii, on September 28.

Highlights

• Kraigher became a fighter pilot in the U.S. Navy and served in the Vietnam War, earning recognition as an Armed Forces veteran.
• Kris and his brother, Kraigher, have a seven-year age difference; he is 81 years old now.
• Kris and his brother were mentioned in their sister Karen’s obituary, which noted her passing from a heart attack in 2005 at the age of 66.

He was celebrated for his roles in films like the “Blade” trilogy and “Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid,” and he won a Golden Globe for his role in “A Star is Born.”

Kris was also a vital member of the Highwaymen, alongside Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson, and Johnny Cash. This supergroup significantly impacted the outlaw country music movement in the ’80s.

Regarding his personal life, Kris Kristofferson was married three times. His first marriage was in 1961 to his longtime girlfriend, Frances “Fran” Mavia Beer, but they eventually divorced. 

His second marriage was to singer Rita Coolidge in 1973, but they divorced in 1980. In 1983, he married Lisa Meyers.

Kris Kristofferson And His Brother Have A Seven Year Age Difference

Kris Kristofferson was born in Brownsville, Texas, to Mary Ann Ashbrook and Lars Henry Kristofferson.

As a child, his father, a major U.S. Air Force general, encouraged Kris and his brother Kraigher Kristofferson to follow military paths.

‘Human rights is something that wasn’t hard to be inspired to write about because there have been so many violations of those rights’ – Kris #Kristofferson, Country Musiker, Schauspieler, Antirassist und Unterstützer der Sandinistischen Revolution in Nicaragua, ist gestorben. pic.twitter.com/VMrLPawJto

— Stefan Kalmring (@Stefan_Kalmring) September 30, 2024

 

Kraigher became a fighter pilot in the U.S. Navy and served in the Vietnam War, earning recognition as an Armed Forces veteran.

Kris and his brother, Kraigher, have a seven-year age difference; he is 81 years old now.

Kraigher started his career with Pan American Airways (PAA) in 1929 as a pilot and later became an operations manager in Brownsville. Kris joined PAA in 1934.

Both brothers were recognized for their service from August to November 1941 until June 1943.

They helped set up air routes over Africa and the Middle East to transport supplies to Allied forces.

 

The youngest son, Kraigher, became a helicopter pilot after training at Fort Rucker in Alabama.

Kris also went through Ranger School. In the early 1960s, he was stationed in West Germany with the 8th Infantry Division.

During this time, he returned to music and started a band.

In 1965, after completing his tour in Germany, Kristofferson was supposed to teach English literature at West Point.

However, he chose to leave the Army to pursue a songwriting career instead.

This choice led to a rift with his family, who felt he was abandoning their values. It’s unclear if they ever made amends.

Despite this, Kristofferson has expressed pride in his military service and received the Veteran of the Year Award at the 2003 American Veterans Awards.

He hasn’t shared much about his relationship with his siblings.

Nonetheless, Kris and his brother were mentioned in their sister Karen’s obituary, which noted her passing from a heart attack in 2005 at the age of 66.

Additional Information

• Kraigher Kristofferson isn’t as active on social media platforms as his siblings.
• Kraigher Kristofferson and his wife, La Patrona Gray Kristofferson, danced at the 44th Annual Jewel Ball, where they were recognized as a former sister- and brother-in-law to Coolidge.