Ralph Kramer, Sr.

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Ralph Joseph Kramer Sr. was born on December 8, 1927, to Carl and Marie (Feldman) Kramer in Earling, Iowa. He was baptized and confirmed at St. Joseph Catholic Church and attended St. Joseph Catholic School graduating in 1945.  He farmed for a few years. Ralph married Mary Ann Pursell on October 2, 1950, at St. Mary Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Church in Portsmouth. To this union eight children were born Regina, Karla, Colleen, June, Ralph Jr., Jane, Kerry and Jon. Ralph was inducted into the Army on December 15, 1950 and served until his honorable discharge on December 15, 1952. He then became a truck driver for Blue Star Food and then the Milwaukee Railroad Motor Division. Ralph and Mary Ann divorced in October of 1973. Ralph met Eula Snider White in June of 1975.  They were married on December 9, 1977. Ralph started working for G & R Grain in Portsmouth in 1979 and worked there until his retirement in 1992.

Ralph was a member of the St. Mary Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Church in Portsmouth and had served on the parish council. He was also on the Portsmouth Fire Department, member of the Knights of Columbus and the Portsmouth American Legion.

Ralph died on January 9, 2022, at the Rose Vista Nursing Home in Woodbine at the age of 94 years, one month and one day.

Ralph was preceded in death by his parents, two sisters, Mildred Heese and Helen Leinen; two brothers, Mark and Norman Kramer; step son Terry White; son-in-law, Mike Martin; and brothers-in-law, Nick Heese, Bernie Leinen, Don Pemberton, Rich Lefeber and Bob Lefeber. He is survived by his wife Eula Kramer of Woodbine, Iowa; eight children, Regina (Stan) Knudsen of Escondido, California, Karla Martin of Harlan, Iowa, Colleen (Mike) Hansen of Tennant, Iowa, June (Jim) Goeser of Omaha, Nebraska, Ralph Kramer Jr. of Phoenix, Arizona, Jane Kramer of Castle Rock, Colorado, Kerry (Shawna) Kramer of Elbert, Colorado and Jon Kramer of Council Bluffs, Iowa; two step daughters, Debra Brown of Austin, Minnesota and Sheri (Kenneth) LeRoy of Katy, Texas; 17 grandchildren; nine step grandchildren; 20 great grandchildren; 16 step great grandchildren; three step great great grandchildren; five sisters, Alma (Richard) Leinen of Portsmouth, Iowa, Stella Lefeber of Portsmouth, Iowa, Jeanette Kramer of Harlan, Iowa, Marie Pemberton of Spring Hill, Kansas and Irene Lefeber of Portsmouth, Iowa and many other relatives and friends.

Mass of Christian Burial will be at 10:30 a.m. Thursday, February 10, 2022, at St. Mary Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Church in Portsmouth. Visitation with the family will be from 2 to 4 p.m. Wednesday, February 9th at the Fouts Funeral Home in Woodbine.