Leo Kramer

Leo Kramer, 93, Mandan, passed away on December 13, 2019. Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday, December 18, at Spirit of Life, 801 1^st St SE, Mandan, with Rev. Todd Kreitinger officiating.

Visitation will be held from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday, December 17, at Parkway Funeral Service, 2330 Tyler Pkwy, Bismarck. A rosary/vigil service will be held at 7:00 p.m.

Burial will be held at 12:00 p.m. at the ND Veterans Cemetery, Mandan.

Leo was born in rural Linton on October 16, 1926 to John and Magdalina (Bichler) Kramer. He attended country school through the 8^th grade. In 1946 Leo was drafted into WWII but chose to enlist in the U.S. Air Force instead. In the Air Force, he was trained as a pilot and also earned his high school GED. Upon returning to Linton, he joined the National Guard. As luck would have it, the National Guard was activated thus enlisting him in the U.S. Army where he spent 13 months in combat during the Korean conflict. After the service, he obtained a degree in electronics at a Chicago institution.  

He married Alicia “Alice” Glass on November 22, 1954. They made their home in Linton until  moving to Mandan in 1977. He retired from Dakota Gasification in 1991.

Leo was an avid hunter and fisherman. He and Alicia both loved fishing and spent many days fishing for walleye on the Missouri River, in Canada, at Devil’s Lake, and salmon fishing on Lake Sakakawea. He was always quick with a joke and smart witted to the very end. He was proud of being a veteran and serving his country. Leo’s favorite trip was the honor flight to D.C. and the return reception at the Bismarck airport where the veterans received their long-awaited respect and recognition for their service. He would try to fix everything that broke and usually could. He had two sisters who had joined the convent and said that if they could be nuns he could be the Pope with family often teasing and referring to him as Pope Leo.

Leo is survived by his four children, Iris (Allan), Randy (Janie) Carlis (Joni), and Jayme (Stacy); seven grandchildren; seven great-grandchildren; one brother, Clarence; and two sisters, Katie Malsom and Madeleine Winkelmann.

He was preceded in death by his wife of 64 years, Alicia; his parents; brothers, Ray, Mike, and Joe; and sisters, Rose Goetz, Ann Horner, Lori Smith, and Leonie Schoumacher.

He will forever be in our hearts.