Judith “Judy” K. Kramer, 82, Sartell

June 13, 1938 - January 11, 2021

A Celebration of Life will be at a later date for Judith “Judy” K. Kramer, age 82, who passed away peacefully Monday, January 11, 2021 at Edgewood Assisted Living in Sartell, MN. Arrangements have been entrusted to Williams Dingmann Family Funeral Home in Sauk Rapids.

Judy was born June 13, 1938 in St. James, MN to Robert & Martha (Wettestad) Schmillen. As a teenager she life guarded at Long Lake swimming beach, south of St. James. She married Richard T. Kramer on December 27, 1958 at St. James Catholic Church. Judy was a Registered Nurse at St. Mary’s Hospital in Rochester, volunteer as a camp nurse at YMCA- Camp Olson, and retired at the age of 52. During her nursing career, she was an active member of the Sweet Adeline Choir Group. After retiring, Judy and Dick moved to Hackensack and traveled the country in a RV for the next 25 years, sharing their road trips with each of their six grandchildren. She was an environmentalist and had an extraordinary love for the outdoors. Judy was a Loon Ranger on Barnum Lake and helped pass a bill with the U.S. Forestry known as the Tadpole Project in Walker to help preserve the Norway Pine in the Chippewa National Forest. She was passionate about preserving milkweed habitat for the Monarch Migration. She was very active with the outdoors and enjoyed fishing, swimming, bird watching, sailing, traveling, taking slow walks, gardening, especially geraniums, and watching sunsets. Judy had a collection of recipes, but her best meals came from whatever she had in the kitchen. She loved a daily ice cream cone. Judy was notably thrifty, caring, and an outgoing humanitarian. As Judy would say, “live cheap, live clean, live well, and walk tall.”

Survivors include her sons and daughter, Timothy (Luann) of Brainerd, Thomas (Shannon Wadley) of Poulsbo, WA, Todd (Nancy) of Chisago City and Elizabeth (Michael) Gahwiler of Keller, TX; brothers, Pete (Kim), Rob (Julie) and Tony (Diyona) Schmillen; grandchildren, Ryan, Aaron, Matt, Anthony, Megan and Zach; and many adored nephews and nieces. Judy was preceded in death by her parents; and husband, Dick.