William Anthony ‘W.A.’ Kramer, Ozawkie

Mr. Kramer died Thursday, March 10, 2005, at V.A. Hospital in Topeka.

He was born Sept. 25, 1920, in Ozawkie, the son of Roy and Rachel Grist Kramer. He graduated from Ozawkie Rural High School in 1937 and attended Western State College in Gunnison, Colo.

Mr. Kramer served in the U.S. Navy at the end of World War II. He farmed the Delaware River bottom. He was Jefferson County treasurer from 1965 to 1969. He built the Ozawkie Restaurant in 1969 and operated it until 1980. He was an agent for Patrons and Columbia Insurance Group for 50 years and was on the Board of Directors for several years. He owned and managed an insurance office from 1965 until his death.

He was president of Ozawkie Development Corp. and served as chairman of the building committee for United Methodist Church. He was the first mayor of Ozawkie, a member of the Jefferson West School Board and the Ozawkie Cemetery Board.

Mr. Kramer was a member and past master of Ozawkie Pleasant View Grange for 58 years. He was a member of IOOF Lodge in Ozawkie and AF & AM Lodge of Meriden for 57 years. He also was a member of RAM Lodge in Oskaloosa, York Rite Bodies, Arab Shrine in Topeka and Larner-Segrave Post No. 36 of the American Legion in Oskaloosa.

He married Ellen Marguerite Clare on Sept. 8, 1938. She survives, of the home.

Other survivors include a daughter, Nancy Brunton, Ozawkie; two sons, Joe, Brewster, and William J., Oskaloosa; a sister, Betty Thomas, Humeston, Iowa; eight grandchildren; seven great-grandchildren; and four stepgreat-grandchildren.

The family will receive friends from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. Monday at Barnett Funeral Home in Oskaloosa.

The family suggests memorials to Ozawkie Cemetery, sent in care of the funeral home, 820 Liberty St., Oskaloosa 66066.