Helen M. (Ryerson) KRAMER

KRAMER, RYERSON, WILLIAMS, ROTHMAN, NEWMAN

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 1/6/2007 at 11:01:28

February 18, 2003

Helen M. Kramer, 81, formerly of Rowan and Dows, died on Tuesday, February 11, 2003, at the Franklin General Hospital Nursing Facility in Hampton. Funeral services were held on Saturday, February 15, at the Tenold-Andrews Funeral Home in Belmond, with Rev. Lowell Halvorson officiating. Burial with military honors performed by the Rowan American Legion, was in the Immanuel Reformed Church Cemetery.

Helen Ryerson, was born on July 25, 1921 in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, the daughter of Arthur and Ida (Williams) Ryerson. She graduated from high school in Eau Claire and later attended Hunter College for two years. Helen was a veteran of World War II. She entered the U.S. Navy on September 7, 1941 and her active duty was spent partially in New York where she served as a dental technician. She received the American Campaign Ribbon and WW II Victory Ribbon. She was a 50 year plus member of the American Legion. Helen was Past Commander of the only all-female American Legion Post #988 in Chicago. She had also been an active member of the Rowan Legion Post #159. She served for a number of years as Chairman of the Midwest Waves. Helen married Raymond Kramer, Sr. on September 20, 1946 in Chicago. To this union four children were born. Three sons, Raymond, William and James, who died in infancy, and one daughter, Nancy. The family lived in Chicago for many years where Helen was employed at the Wesley Memorial Hospital for 30 years. Her husband died in 1964. She moved to Rowan in 1979 and also lived in Dows and at the Retirement Center in Belmond.

Helen had a life long love of genealogy that commenced at age 11 and continued into her 70's. Much of her work involved tracing her ancestors in the Belmond and surrounding areas. She was a long-time member of the Wright County Genealogical Society. Helen was a foster parent to more than 40 children.

Survivors include son, Raymond (Lauri) Kramer, Jr. of Los Alamos, New Mexico, and children, Eric and Kelly, and step-daughters, Gwen and Kyla; son, William Kramer of Chicago; daughter, Nancy (Carey) Rothman of Latimer, and children, Alexander and Victoria; foster daughter, Ellen Newman of Bensenville, Illinois; and brother, Robert (Beverly) Ryerson of Baldwin, Missouri.

©Belmond Independent 2003