Almeda May Cramer

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Mrs. Almeda May Cramer nee Russell was born August 15, 1928 in Colorado to Dorothy and Floyd Rumley of Colorado. Later, she was commonly adopted by Blanche and Edward Russell in 1938 of Colorado and Kansas.

After high school, Almeda attended Intermountain Bible College in Grand Junction, Colorado, until she met and fell in love with Clark Daniel Cramer, then serving with the US Weather Service also in Colorado. They shortly moved back to Clark’s native South Dakota, where their first son, C Russell was born in 1948. Times were difficult, with Clark farming and working as a meteorologist, and Almeda raising a large garden, caring for her son, and offering support to her husband. C Russell was followed shortly after by Mark Edward, born in 1950. A daughter, Candice Lee was born in 1955. The Cramers continued to raise their children, a large garden and livestock, while Clark continued with the weather service. Almeda was an expert at canning and preserving the bounty from this garden and ensuring that their winter supplies were filled with the fruits of their labors. A second daughter, Krystine Ann, was born in 1962.

As her family grew, Almeda was active as a Sunday School teacher with Renner Lutheran. She taught all her children to read and write long before they attended first grade. She would later take this love of reading, learning and her devotion to children to assist teachers in Brandon Valley with students who needed extra attention. She continued in this capacity after all her children had moved on to their own lives.

In 1973, Almeda and Clark realized their lifelong dream, and purchased 40 acres of land just outside of Corson, South Dakota. There, they built their dream farm house, planted a large shelter belt, and of course, grew a large garden. It was the home they had wanted all their lives, and there they stayed.

Clark passed away in 2001, and Almeda continued to live where their dreams had come to rest. In 2014, Almeda sold the farm and moved to a small home in Brandon, South Dakota. It was there that Almeda spent her last Thanksgiving with her oldest daughter Candice, before passing away on Friday, November 27, 2020.

Almeda will always be remembered for her sunny outlook, her sense of wonder, her devotion to children, and faith in God.

She is preceded in death by her beloved husband Clark, and her first born son, C Russell. Almeda leaves behind her son Mark, and daughters Candice and Krystine, grandchildren Sean Cramer, Elaine Marion, Amy Cramer Toth, Janae Grunow, Aaron and Lucas Scheibe. In addition, she has 13 great grandchildren, and the pride of her last year, one great great grandson.

A viewing will be held Sunday, December 6, 2020 from 5pm to 7pm, with memory sharing beginning at 6pm. This will be held at Minnehaha Funeral Home in Garretson, SD. Funeral services will take place at Spirit of Truth church in Brandon, SD on Monday, December 7, 2020 at 1pm, with coffee and fellowship hour following. Almeda will be interred next to Clark at Colman Cemetery following the fellowship. The service will be live streamed on the church YouTube Page as well as Minnehaha Funeral Home Facebook Page . The family requests that masks be worn.