Kramer, Dennis Lee (1944-1973)

KRAMER, BAKKER, RICHARDSON, KALVIG, LEMON, PRUISMANN, HANSEN

Posted By: Debbie Greenfield (email)
Date: 9/21/2014 at 12:50:29

Daily Freeman Journal, Thursday, September 20, 1973

Trucker Dies in Crash Today

Dennis Kramer is victim of tragic mishap

A one-vehicle accident early this morning claimed the life of a Blairsburg trucker, Dennis Lee Kramer, 29. Kramer's death was the seventh traffic fatality in Hamilton county in 1973.

The accident occurred shortly after six o'clock this morning six miles north of Webster City on the White Fox road.

The Doolittle Oil Co. transport which Kramer was driving was northbound at the time of the accident.

The truck reportedly struck and killed one horse which was standing in the roadway then continued north on the road for several hundred feet where it struck and killed a second horse.

The truck then careened into the ditch on the east side of the road where it jackknifed and overturned. Kramer's body was pinned inside the cab of the truck, and investigating officers said he was apparently killed instantly.

The truck's load of fuel oil had to be transferred to another truck before the wreckage could be removed from the ditch. A tanker from the Woolstock volunteer fire department stood by during the entire operation.

Law enforcement officers and members of the Webster City fire department rescue squad worked nearly two hours before they were able to remove Kramer's body from the twisted wreckage.

The accident was investigated by Iowa Highway Patrolman Mike Hogan and deputies from the Hamilton county sheriff's department.

Funeral services will be at 1:30 p.m. Saturday at the United Church of Christ, Congregational in Blairsburg with the Rev. John Nolin officiating and with burial in the Blairsburg cemetery. The body will lie in state at the Foster Funeral home until 9:30 a.m. on Saturday.

Dennis Lee Kramer, 29, of Blairsburg, son of Harold and Alice Bakker Kramer, was born Dec. 29, 1944 at Williams.

He was reared and educated at Clarion and at Blairsburg and was graduated from the Blairsburg high school.

He was united in marriage June 18, 1967, to Barbara Richardson. The couple made their home in Webster City and also at Blairsburg.

He had been currently employed at the Luppes Oil Co. and had been serving as a part-time driver for Merlin Doolittle.

He is survived by his wife; two daughters, Janette, 4, and Janelle, 3; his parents, Harold Kramer of Baudette, Minn., and Mrs. Alice Kramer of Clear Lake; his grandmothers, Mrs. Anna Bakker of Wellsburg and Mrs. Josephine Kramer of Eldora; four sisters and three brothers, Mrs. Elmer (JoAnn) Kalvig of Mason City, Mrs. Gerald (Janice) Lemon of Fairmont, Minn., Mrs. Jim (Joyce) Pruismann of Altoona, Mrs. Jim (Julie) Hansen of Mitchellville, Mervin and George Kramer, both of Blairsburg, and Larry Kramer of Groton, Conn.

He was preceded in death by a son, Paul, in January, 1973, one brother, Leon, in infancy, and two grandfathers.

He was a member of the United Church of Christ, Congregational at Blairsburg, and was a member of the Blairsburg fire department.