James Kramer

James “Jim” Kramer, 76, Bismarck, passed away on Oct. 6, 2020 of Multiple Myeloma.

Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 10 at Lutheran Church of the Cross, 1004 E Highland Acres Rd, Bismarck. Visitation will be held one hour prior to the funeral service. A service livestream will be available on the church’s website.

Jim was born on July 26, 1944 at Mott to Earl G. and Idah Ann (Hintz) Kramer. He was raised and educated in Mott and was baptized and confirmed at Trinity Lutheran Church, Mott.

As a young man, his father taught him how to swim, shoot and ride his horses. His father ran a sheep ranch and his brothers and Jim took care of them, including herding them on horseback.

He graduated from Mott High School in 1962. He attended Dickinson State University and North Dakota State University where he received a degree in Agronomy in 1967. He enlisted in the US Army and served his country for two years, nine months and three days, including a one-year tour of duty in Vietnam with the 44^th Medical Brigade at the 93^rd Evacuation Hospital.

Following his honorable discharge, he entered Graduate School at NDSU and earned his MS degree in Botany in 1973.

Jim worked as a Soil Conservationist and Range Conservationist for the USDA, Soil Conservation Service at Mott, Dickinson, Mandan and Bismarck. He was a staff member and helped organize the North Dakota Youth Group Camps.

In 1981, he began employment as a Reclamation Specialist with BNI Coal, Ltd., in Center, retiring in 2001.

After retirement, he was employed with Western Plains Consulting of Bismarck as a Range Management Consultant/Botanist for five years. He was a member of the Society for Range Management, the Soil and Water Conservation Society, National Rifle Association and a life member of Adam Klein Chapter 3 of the Disabled Veterans of America. Jim was a Charter Member of Chapter 150 of the Vietnam Veterans of American and organized the Chapter’s Color Guard in 1985. He also volunteered for the Heartview Foundation, St. Alexius Hospice program and the Bismarck VA Clinic.

He was a Cub Scout Den Leader and Cub Master. He was a published poet. While living in Dickinson, he was a member of the Dickinson Fire Department.

Jim enjoyed deer hunting with his dad and later with his wife, Linda. Linda and Jim enjoyed many trips to Hawaii, San Diego, Florida, and the Rocky Mountain States. He loved spending time with Linda, his children and their spouses, and their six grandchildren – especially their weeks at the lake. The times at the lake were truly the highlight of his life. Coffee with his buddies and his friends at the TIE group was high on his weekly list of things to do.

Jim’s heroes were all the WWII veterans. He loved reading their firsthand accounts of various battles in Europe and the South Pacific. Whenever he would meet a WWII vet, he would thank them for their service and shake their hand in gratitude for what they did.

Grateful to have shared in his life are his sweetheart and wife, Linda, Bismarck; his son, Richard (Maren) Kramer, and their children, Joshua and Benjamin, Fargo; his daughter, Rebecca (Jeremy) Johnson, and their children, Dillon, Faith, Grace and Madison, Fargo.

Jim was preceded in death by his paternal and maternal grandparents; parents, Idah and Earl; and two brothers, Charles and Jack.

Jim did not fear death, he believed he knew in his heart that Jesus died for him and death was a birth to eternal life and peace with his Lord. Thanks be to God!

In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials be given to the International Myeloma Foundation or the North Dakota Veterans Cemetery.