Two-term Kane County Sheriff George Kramer, the father of Sheriff Don Kramer, died peacefully Saturday at the age of 81, less than two months after seeing his son follow in his footsteps as the county’s chief law enforcement officer.

According to his obituary on the Moss Family Funeral Home website, Kramer was born Aug. 20, 1933, to Evelyn (nee Holter) Kramer and Herman B. Kramer of rural Aurora.

He was raised on a dairy farm and attended a one-room schoolhouse on Deerpath Road, just down the road from where the family lived at the corner of Deerpath and Seavy roads. He loved riding horses all his life and was happy to see the homestead used to board horses and train riders.

Kramer excelled at football at Marmion Military Academy from 1947-51, and in 1995 was inducted into Marmion’s athletic Hall of Fame. After graduating high school, he attended Dayton University on a football scholarship. He returned home after a year to help on the farm and would not return to college until the early ’70s when he attended Waubonsee Community College, and continued on at Lewis University to earn his bachelor’s degree in Law Enforcement.

The love of football and sports kept George actively involved in semi-professional football and professional wrestling throughout the late ’50s and early ’60s. He played for the Aurora Clippers and the Elmhurst Travelers and enjoyed a great relationship with a number of notable local hero’s. He is also remembered by many for the years of wrestling in the Midwest area as “Tiny Kramer.”

George Kramer married Trudy Bark in 1953, shortly before George entered the Army, and they resided at Fort Leonard Wood in Missouri. There, they started their family while stationed on the base.

George returned to Batavia in 1955 and became a police officer. He began a 23-year career with Batavia and was well known for his work with juvenile offenders. In 1976, he was elected president of the Illinois Police Association. He also belonged to several boards, including the International Sheriff’s Association, the International Narcotics Officers Association and the Illinois Chief of Police Association. With the assistance of good friend Pete Perez, he created the Kane County Juvenile Officer’s Association.

George Kramer was elected sheriff in 1978 and served two terms. He served as the president of the Illinois Sheriff’s Association, and Kane County Chiefs of Police Association.

He is fondly remembered for his participation in the Sheriff’s Mounted Patrol. Under his leadership, the patrol marched in the Cotton Bowl Parade, the Rose Bowl Parade, and the Orange Bowl Parade. They also marched in many local parades in Kane County.

Kramer is survived by his wife, Trudy (nee Bark) Kramer, seven children: David, Delores Hubbard, Donna (Tim) Gahan, Don (Kelly), Duane (Liz), Denise (Jeff) Bumbar, and Dana (Roger) Clark; siblings:  Ron (Diane) Kramer, Daniel (Chris) Kramer, and Ann Gette; grandchildren: Megan Kramer, Hannah Kramer, Matt Kramer, Molly Kramer, Sarah (Menton) Mathews, Brad (Kelly) Hubbard, Brian (Brandice) Hubbard, Patrick Wegman, Whitney (Jason) Jorgenson, Christopher (Ashley) Gahan, Colin Kramer, Amanda Kramer, Holly Kramer, Danielle (Brad) Tenney, Nicole Kramer, Olivia Bumbar, and Halley Clark; great-grandchildren: Bosch, Calla, Brynn, Sean, Brady and Avery.

Visitation will be held from 3 until 8 p.m. Friday, Jan. 30, at Moss Family Funeral Home, 209 S. Batavia Ave. (Route 31) in Batavia.

Funeral services will begin with prayers at the funeral home at 9:30 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 31, before proceeding to Holy Cross Catholic Church to celebrate Mass at 10 a.m. Interment will follow in Marywood Cemetery in Aurora.

For more information, please visit the Moss Family Funeral Home website.

SOURCE: Moss Family Funeral Home