William Arthur Kramer Obituary
MENOMONEE FALLS, WI – Age 94. William "Bill" Kramer was known for his many "Grandpa-isms", bad jokes and big heart. He died on November 4, 2023 of old age.
He was born on October 13, 1929, in Milwaukee WI to William and Crystel (Waterman), 16 days before the stock market crash and beginning of the Great Depression. William and Crystel moved to Wausau, WI in 1933, when Bill was four.
Bill graduated from Wausau High School in 1947. After graduation he began his college career at UW Wisconsin and enlisted in the National Guard. That was the first of his two stints in the service. After graduating from UW Madison with a BA in marketing he joined the US Marines where he was assigned to the 9th supply depot in San Francisco and honorably discharged in 1953 with the rank of Sargent.
After the Marines, Bill landed a job at Schlitz Brewery as a marketing manager and met the woman who would become the cornerstone of his life: Lou Ann Watry. They married October 20, 1956. Together, first in Milwaukee then in Menomonee Falls, WI, they raised four children in the small ranch home they lived in for 64 years. Their home would be the family meeting place for birthdays, holidays and special events for 64 years.
Bill and Lou Ann camped with friends and family in northern WI for many years (their campfire sing-a-longs with the accordion accompaniment are legendary). When the kids got older, they gave up camping and travelled the country by tour bus, visiting most every state and National Park.
Bill is survived by his wife Lou Ann; son, Jeffrey (Jodi Pahs); daughter, Connie (Steve Felhofer); son, Steven (Ellen Weiler); daughter, Diane (Tony Weiss); grandchildren: Nicole (DJ Bauer); Daniel (Angela); Stacy; Jackie (Dave Burhans); Joseph (Carly Laper); Amanda (Tony Oswald); Taylor (Martin Mueller); Rachel; Henry; Oscar; Chris; Cory (Kelsey Hagstrom); Ryan; Heather; and greatgrandchildren: Colin, Evelyn, Finley, Josie, Olivia, Leo, Lydia, Evan, Rain, Elliana.
Bill was preceded in death by his parents William and Crystel, his brother Robert and his great granddaughter Lucy.
Visitation will be 10:00-12:00 Saturday November 11th at Schmidt & Bartelt Funeral Home (N84 W17937 Menomonee Ave., Menomonee Falls WI) with a 1:30 burial held at Sunnyside Cemetery (19011 W. Main Street, Lannon , WI).
The family would like to give thanks to the entire staff at Kathy Hospice for the care and compassion they provided in Bill's last days.
