Dolores Ann (Lorry) Kramer • 1927 - 2009

Dolores Ann (Lorry) Kramer, 82, 620-3rd Ave. NW, died Tuesday, Sept. 1, 2009, at her home of natural causes. A native of Ward County, she had lived most of her life in Minot where she was involved for many years in raising a big family and then in community and civic affairs, including the Minot City Council on which she served from 1981 to 1992.

She was born July 2, 1927, on the Plaza farm home of her parents, Louis and Anna (Rutten) VanEeckhout. The youngest of seven children, she attended grade school in Wabek and graduated from Plaza High School in 1945. She then attended the New York Hairdressing Academy in Fargo, and worked as a hair stylist in Fargo, Plaza and Enderlin.

In 1948 she moved to Minot to take the position of office manager at VanEeckhout Farm Equipment. She also worked at the Firestone Store from 1977 to 1980, and from 1959 until 1984, was branch manager for Sarah Coventry Jewelry.
But following her marriage to Daryl E. Kramer, Jan. 3, 1950, in Minot, her biggest job was helping to raise the ten children born to the couple.

Many of the activities in which she was engaged reflect her involvement in the lives of her children. She was a member of the Parent Teacher Association at St. Leo's and Lincoln Elementary schools. Once her children enrolled at Bishop Ryan High School, she served in a myriad of activities there for which she was honored in 1990 as a recipient of the Ryan Lion Award, the highest award given by the school. That included attendance with Daryl at virtually all the school's sporting events. As fans, they made a big noise at Ryan football games where they toted a cowbell that they shook loudly at all major plays by Ryan.

Once her children were grown, she moved into government affairs at the city and state levels. When Daryl was hired as the manager of U.S. Senator Quentin Burdick's Minot office, he had to resign from his seat on the Minot City Council as Ward Five representative. Lorry was elected in 1981 to serve out his term, and then was elected to two additional terms, retiring in 1992. She served a term as vice president of the council, the first woman to do so.

She was appointed in 1988 to the North Dakota Water Commission. She also had been a member of the state governor's committee on jobs and training. She once was a board member of the First District Health Unit. She served two terms each on the board of the former St. Joseph's Hospital and on the Minot State University Board of Regents. She also had been a member of the committee that staged Minot's Centennial Celebration. She was a member of the Minot Senior Citizens League. She was a Democrat and had been active with Democratic women's groups.

She was a former member of Little Flower Catholic Parish and served on the parish council. In recent years, she had been a member of St. Leo's Parish.

Lorry was known for her generosity and loving kindness, especially in the northwest Minot neighborhood where she and Daryl have lived since 1964. No one was a stranger in the Kramer home where they periodically welcomed an additional child who was experiencing problems at his or her own home. She was a great stabilizer and maintained an island of calm in her sea of children and grandchildren.

Survivors: husband Daryl; children, Colleen (Ron) Ronning, Rapid City, SD, Joanne Kramer, Seattle, Charles (Nancy) Kramer, Minot, Barbara Kramer, Grand Forks, Mary Lou (Patrick) Neault, Killeen, TX, Bruce (Lisa), Bryan (Cindy) and Tim (Chris) Kramer, all of Minot, Julie (Loren) Schwab, Bismarck, and Mark (Michelle) Kramer, Minot; grandchildren, Matthew (Keli) and Jesse (Brekka) Kramer, Beth (Isaac) Odahlen, Zachary (Susan) Ronning, Maggie, Isaac, Gretta and Jacob Schwab, Manny Neault, Ben, Hannah, Eric, Eli, Sylvie, Evan, Mason, Jonah, Eden and Nora Kramer; great-grandchildren, Emma and Haley Kramer and Conor Odahlen; sister, Marie Jacobson, Crosby, and brother, Joe (Mary) VanEeckhout, Makoti; and sisters-in-law Rosie VanEeckhout, Fargo, Della VanEeckhout and Hope VanEeckhout both of Minot, Lucille Broschofsky, Ketchem, . Many nieces and nephews also survive.Idaho; and brother and sister-in-law, Bob (Cheryl) Kramer, Aurora, CO.

She was preceded in death by her parents, one sister, Felicia Legg, and three brothers, George, Charles (Bud) and Bob VanEeckhout

Funeral: Saturday, Sept. 5, 2009, at St. John the Apostle Catholic Church, Minot at 10:30 a.m.

Burial: Rosehill Memorial Park, Minot.

Visitation: Friday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at St. John the Apostle Catholic Church

Vigil Prayer Service: Friday at 5 p.m. at St. John the Apostle Catholic Church

Memorials are preferred to the Minot Catholic Schools.

Celebrant of the Liturgies: Father David Zimmer

Music: John and Marcy Witteman

Pall Placement: Lorry's daughters

Gift Bearers: Lorry's granddaughters

Active Bearers: Lorry's grandsons

Following the service, everyone is invited to the Knights of Columbus Clubroom, 2601 North Broadway, Minot, for a time of fellowship.

Lorry's family would like to take this time to thank everyone for all of the kindnesses at this most difficult time, May God Bless You All!

To sign the online guest register for Lorry
To view the online guest register for Lorry

To view Lorry's folder

Back to Obituaries