Marie Kramer Jans
April 2, 1930 — September 16, 2015
Mary Magdalene “Marie” Kramer Jans was born on April 2, 1930 to Paul and Mary (Heinzlmier) Bissen in Defiance, Iowa. She was baptized at St. Peter’s Catholic Church in Defiance and confirmed at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church in Dunlap. She attended grade school at St. Paul’s in Defiance, country school, then St. Patrick’s Catholic School in Dunlap through the eighth grade. She joined the Sisters of St. Francis Convent in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
She returned to the Earling area and worked for her uncle, Msgr. Bissen for three years. On September 13, 1950, she was united in marriage to Leonard Kramer. They became parents to four children: Joe, Lenny, Karen, and Ron. They farmed outside of Earling where Marie helped on the farm, cooked for her in-laws, and took care of her husband’s grandfather. She ran the Circle K Bar in Earling and had a painting crew doing painting and staining projects.
After her marriage to Sylvan Jans on September 21, 1991, the couple moved to Arizona where she started working on arts and crafts projects. After Sylvan’s death, Marie moved back to Harlan. She moved to Little Flower Haven in Earling for a while and in 2013, moved into Elm Crest Retirement Home.
Marie died on Wednesday, September 16, 2015 at Myrtue Medical Center in Harlan at the age of eighty-five years, five months, and fourteen days. She was preceded in death by her parents, husband Sylvan Jans, grandson Joe Kramer, Jr., brothers: Melvin, Donald, and Joe Bissen, and sisters Sr. Leona Bissen and Rita Benjamin.
She is survived by her children: Joe Kramer and his wife Janice of Harlan, Iowa, Lenny Kramer and his wife Joyce of Surprise, Arizona, Karen and her husband Rocket Herning of Harlan, and Ron Kramer and his wife LuAnn of Earling, Iowa; eleven grandchildren; twenty-one great-grandchildren; two great-great-grandchildren; brothers and sisters: Stella Hodapp of Texas, Theresa Simmons and Margie Adams both of Omaha, Nebraska, Armella and her husband Germain Reding of Bennington, Nebraska, Paul Bissen and his wife Martha of Harlan, and Kenny Bissen and his wife Alma of Cedar Grove, Tennessee; sister-in-law Georganne Bissen of Dunlap, Iowa; other family members and friends.
She returned to the Earling area and worked for her uncle, Msgr. Bissen for three years. On September 13, 1950, she was united in marriage to Leonard Kramer. They became parents to four children: Joe, Lenny, Karen, and Ron. They farmed outside of Earling where Marie helped on the farm, cooked for her in-laws, and took care of her husband’s grandfather. She ran the Circle K Bar in Earling and had a painting crew doing painting and staining projects.
After her marriage to Sylvan Jans on September 21, 1991, the couple moved to Arizona where she started working on arts and crafts projects. After Sylvan’s death, Marie moved back to Harlan. She moved to Little Flower Haven in Earling for a while and in 2013, moved into Elm Crest Retirement Home.
Marie died on Wednesday, September 16, 2015 at Myrtue Medical Center in Harlan at the age of eighty-five years, five months, and fourteen days. She was preceded in death by her parents, husband Sylvan Jans, grandson Joe Kramer, Jr., brothers: Melvin, Donald, and Joe Bissen, and sisters Sr. Leona Bissen and Rita Benjamin.
She is survived by her children: Joe Kramer and his wife Janice of Harlan, Iowa, Lenny Kramer and his wife Joyce of Surprise, Arizona, Karen and her husband Rocket Herning of Harlan, and Ron Kramer and his wife LuAnn of Earling, Iowa; eleven grandchildren; twenty-one great-grandchildren; two great-great-grandchildren; brothers and sisters: Stella Hodapp of Texas, Theresa Simmons and Margie Adams both of Omaha, Nebraska, Armella and her husband Germain Reding of Bennington, Nebraska, Paul Bissen and his wife Martha of Harlan, and Kenny Bissen and his wife Alma of Cedar Grove, Tennessee; sister-in-law Georganne Bissen of Dunlap, Iowa; other family members and friends.
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Marie Kramer Jans, please visit our flower store.