HR0105LRB099 07406 GRL 27525 r


  
1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

  
 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of 
3Representatives are saddened to learn of the death of former 
4Kane County Sheriff George Kramer, who passed away on January 
524, 2015; and
  
 
6    WHEREAS, George Kramer was born on August 20, 1933 in 
7Aurora; his parents were Herman and Evelyn (nee Holter) Kramer; 
8and
  
 
9    WHEREAS, George Kramer was raised on a dairy farm and 
10attended school in a one-room schoolhouse; he later attended 
11the Marmion Military Academy from 1949 to 1952; in 1994, he was 
12inducted into the Academy's Hall of Fame; and
  
 
13    WHEREAS, George Kramer met his wife, Trudy, through mutual 
14friends after high school; after marrying in 1953, the pair 
15began their married lives together at Fort Leonard Wood in 
16Missouri, where he was stationed at the time; and
 
17    WHEREAS, George Kramer was a prolific athlete; after 
18graduating from high school, he attended the University of 
19Dayton in Ohio on a football scholarship; unfortunately, he 
20left there after only a year of study in order to return home 
21and help on the family farm; and
  
 
 
 
HR0105- 2 -LRB099 07406 GRL 27525 r

1    WHEREAS, As a testament to his strong sense of character 
2and determination, George Kramer completed his collegiate 
3studies in the 1970s; after attending Waubonsee Community 
4College, he would ultimately earn a Bachelor's Degree in Law 
5Enforcement from Lewis University; and
  
 
6    WHEREAS, George Kramer was a semi-professional football 
7player and a professional wrestler; he also played for the 
8Aurora Clippers and Elmhurst Travelers semi-professional 
9football teams; during his tenure as a professional wrestler, 
10he was known as "Tiny" Kramer; and
  
 
11    WHEREAS, George Kramer began his laudable career in law 
12enforcement with the Batavia Police Department, serving the 
13Department for 23 years; and
 
14    WHEREAS, In 1978, George Kramer was elected to serve his 
15community as Sheriff; he would go on to serve 2 continuous 
164-year terms from 1978 to 1986; and
  
 
17    WHEREAS, George Kramer's illustrious career in law 
18enforcement was marked most notably by his benevolent work with 
19youths in the correctional system; with the help of his 
20longtime friend and Undersheriff, Pete Perez, he created 
21various programs designed to assist juvenile offenders, 
 
 
HR0105- 3 -LRB099 07406 GRL 27525 r

1including the Kane County Juvenile Officers Association; and
  
 
2    WHEREAS, Pete Perez's son and former Kane County Sheriff, 
3Pat Perez, summed up the work of Sheriff Kramer and 
4Undersheriff Perez best; in recounting the tireless efforts of 
5Mr. Kramer and his father to visit youth homes in Kane County, 
6Pat Perez recalled that, "they saw [the need to help troubled 
7youths at home] as an avenue to help get kids back on the 
8straight and narrow" and that "they'd seen the ups and downs of 
9law enforcement together ... [yet] I think they learned to stay 
10... willing to evolve"; and
  
 
11    WHEREAS, George Kramer is survived by his wife, Trudy, and 
12their 7 children; one of his children, Donald Kramer, currently 
13serves as Kane County Sheriff; and
  
 
14    WHEREAS, George Kramer's outstanding legacy is marked by 
15the love for his family, the resilient devotion to helping 
16at-risk youth, and the unwavering passion he displayed for the 
17protection of his community; therefore, be it
  
 
18    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE 
19NINETY-NINTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we 
20mourn the passing of George Kramer and extend our sincere 
21condolences to his family, friends, and all those who knew and 
22loved him; and be it further
  
 
 
 
HR0105- 4 -LRB099 07406 GRL 27525 r

1    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be 
2presented to the family of George Kramer as an expression of 
3our deepest sympathy and most sincere appreciation for his 
4service to the residents of Kane County.