Obituary of Dorothy Shirley Kraemer

Kraemer, Dorothy Shirley, always known as Shirley, died peacefully on February 3, 2016 in Colchester, CT at the age of 90. She is survived by her husband, Warren, of 72 years, their three children, Diane (Mike), Kenneth (Gail), and Curtis (Ellen), six grandchildren and two great grandchildren. She was born in Newark, NJ and grew up in East Orange. After her marriage to Warren, her high school sweetheart, they moved to Bennettsville, SC, where Warren was a flight instructor for the Army Air Corps during World War II. Warren was then hired by American Airlines, and, after a short stint in California, they returned to NJ where they remained for 68 years, of which 59 were spent in Wyckoff. The early years of her marriage were filled with raising children and school activities. In the parlance of the day, she was known as a homemaker, a task at which she excelled. She filled her home with loving friends and relatives, rich aromas, and happy moments. She and her sisters, all city girls, took their children to a state park year after year to experience camping in a locale with no running water. What a trooper! Among her family and friends she was known as an indefatigable volunteer. She was a multi-decade member of the Church of the Good Shepard in Midland Park where she served on the vestry numerous times and was a perennial member of the Altar Guild. She was an avid member of the Wyckoff Women’s Club, actively involved in community projects. She served six years as President. As a member of the National Association of Parliamentarians she lent her knowledge of parliamentary procedure to the meetings of the Women’s Club as well as other clubs who called upon her. As a volunteer with the Valley Hospital Auxiliary, she spent more than 1,500 hours in the kitchen of Kurth Cottage Café at the hospital, preparing meals that benefitted the much needed healthcare programs and services that the Auxiliary provided. Not the least of her many services for others were the years spent as an assistant Girl Scout leader during her daughter’s junior high school years. Shirley and Warren were long time deliverers of Meals on Wheels to local seniors in Wyckoff who were housebound and who welcomed their help and warm conversations. Shirley continued to be an active volunteer until Warren received a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease in 2009 and in 2013 they moved to an assisted living facility in Connecticut to be close to their son, Curtis. The family will receive friends on Saturday, May 14th from 1-4pm, with a memorial service starting at 2:30pm, at the Vander Plaat Funeral Home, www.vpfh.com, 257 Godwin Ave. Wyckoff, NJ. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to the Alzheimer’s Association, P.O. Box 96011, Washington, DC 20090-6011.