John Paul Kramer

JOHN PAUL KRAMER, 87, OF PEKIN, IL PASSED AWAY ON SUNDAY, March 11, 2012 AT 4PM PEACEFULLY AT METHODIST MEDICAL CENTER IN PEORIA WITH HIS LOVING WIFE AND FAMILY AT HIS BEDSIDE. HE WAS BORN DEC. 30th, 1924 IN FOREST CITY, IL TO JOHN HERMAN KRAMER AND ANNA NOLTIMIER KRAMER. HE MARRIED MARY MAXINE BENNETT ON APRIL 6™, 1946 IN PALMYRA, MO. SURVING ARE HIS WIFE, TWO DAUGHTERS; SANDRA (OMER) PEAK OF PEKIN, IL. AND PAMELA (TONY) POLITES OF CREVE COEUR, IL; TWO SONS; TERRY (MALOU) KRAMER OF PEKIN, IL. AND DAN KRAMER OF COCOA, FL; NINE GRANDCHILDREN; STEVE (DAWN) PEAK, SEAN KRAMER, STACI PEAK, RYON (KRISTIN) KRAMER, CHAD KRAMER, STEPHANIE HOLMES, KEVIN POLITES, TONY (KARESSA) WEST, CRISTINA WEST; AND 11 GREAT GRANDCHILDREN. THREE BROTHERS AND FOUR SISTERS PRECEDED HIM IN DEATH. JOHN WAS A WWII NAVY VETERAN SERVING FROM 1944 THROUGH 1946. HE SERVED IN THE PACIFIC THEATER ABOARD THE USSS ST. GEORGE AV-16. HE WAS AWARDED THE BRONZE STAR AND THE GOOD CONDUCT MEDAL. HE WAS A MEMBER OF THE AMERICAN LEGION POST 44 AND AMVETS POST 235 IN PEKIN. AFTER RETURNING HOME FROM THE NAVY JOHN WORKED AS A FARM HAND FOR SEVERAL YEARS. HE LATER WORKED FOR ARMOUR PACKAGING CO. UNTIL ITS CLOSURE IN PEORIA. HE THEN WORKED AT CATERPILLAR INC. UNTIL HE RETIRED IN 1986. JOHN LOVED HIS GOD AND FAMILY. HE WAS A HARD MAN BUT A GOOD MAN. HIS HARDNEST CAME FROM HIS EARLY CHILDHOOD AND THE HARDSHIPS OF WORKING AS A FARM HELPER AND AT ARMOUR PACKING CO. THEY WERE LEAN TIMES AND FILLED WITH MANY STRUGGLES. HOWEVER THAT HARDNEST STARTED TO CRACK WHEN THE THIRD CHILD STARTED TO MATURE. IT WAS COMPLETELY SHATTERED WHEN THE FOURTH CHILD WAS BORN. IT WAS AS THOUGH HE FINALLY UNDERSTOOD PATIENCE OR IT COULD HAVE JUST BEEN TOTAL DENIAL OR WITHDRAWAL. IT WAS THEN TOTAL MILDNEST AND GENTLENESS WITH THE GRAND CHILDREN AND GREAT GRAND CHILDREN. WHEN THE CHILDREN WOULD TALK OF EARLY HAPPENINGS THE GRAND CHILDREN WOULD ALWAYS SAY, "GRANDPA WAS NEVER LIKE THAT!" HE LOVED THE OUTDOORS. HE LOVED TO HUNT AND FISH AND TAKE RIDES JUST TO SEE THE COUNTRYSIDE. HE LOOKED FORWARD TO HIS ANNUAL FISHING TRIPS TO RICE LAKE, Wl. HE WAS AN ACTIVE MEMBER OF THE CREVE COEUR CHRISTIAN CHURCH WHERE HE SERVED COMMUNION, SERVED AS A GREETER, AND PASSIONATELY WORKED IN THE FOOD PANTRY. A MEMORIAL SERVIC E WILL BE HELD AT CREVE COEUR CHRISTIAN CHURCH AT 11:00 a.m on Thursday, March 15, 2012. Burial will follow the services at Laurel Hill Cemetery in Havana at 3:00 p.m. Hurley Funeral Home in Havana is in charge of arrangements. IN LIEU OF FLOWERS MEMORIALS MAY BE MADE TO CREVE COEUR CHRISTIAN CHURCH.

John Paul Kramer

December 30, 1924 - March 11, 2012

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