George Wayne Kramer was born in Chicago, IL, the first and only son of George Kramer and Elvira Mae “Roon” Kramer. Jerry spent most of his early years in Charlotte, MI, until his family moved to Saginaw, MI, in 1954. In Charlotte, Jerry was president of his class, ran track, played basketball and football, and received the American Legion Service Award for outstanding service to the Charlotte Community. In Saginaw, Jerry let­tered in basketball at Arthur Hill High School. He survived severe childhood polio as a young man and never forgot the March of Dimes for their kindness during his long illness.

Jerry was appointed to West Point as a qualified alternate. As was his style for the rest of his life, Jerry liked to begin to a new en­deavor dramatically. He nearly missed his re­porting date, as his family was vacationing in Florida at the time he was accepted. The state police were sent to look for Jerry to notify him that he had only two days before reporting to West Point. Fortunately, his family got home late that evening, and Jerry left for West Point the next morning.

Jerry was probably one of the most unlike­ly candidates to ever attend West Point, espe­cially given his struggle with polio, but he con­sidered graduating a major achievement in his life. Throughout his academy years and after, Jerry was affectionately referred to as “Jer.” He treasured his West Point friendships and those of company mates in L-2. Academics did not come easy for Jerry, and he often spoke of his semi-annual battle with the academic depart­ment. Forming life-long friendships did come easy, however, and his classmates remember his “wry sense of humor, ever-present smile, and warm heart.” Jer did not take life too seriously. Through tough times in Plebe year, Jer’s bright attitude carried the day. He loved a good story and loved to make people laugh along with him. His outstanding sense of humor and love of people resulted in many practical jokes be­ing played on unsuspecting classmates.

Ten days after graduation, Jerry married his high school sweetheart and OAO, Sally Jo Werner. Classmates Dave Stem, Jack Humes, Max Rumbaugh, and Grant Schaefer were in the wedding in Saginaw.

Jerry was commissioned into the United States Air Force, where his first assignment was at Lowry Air Force Base, Denver, CO, as part of the Titan missile program. Training for Strategic Air Command’s missile program took him to Sheppard Air Force Base, TX, and then back to Denver to finish a four-year tour. In 1964, Jer and Sal’s first daughter, Jennifer Lynn, was born in Denver.

After spending seven months in the “never green part of the evergreen” state of Washington at Larson Air Force Base, Jerry was selected to attend Squadron Officers School in 1965 and traveled to Maxwell Air Force Base in Montgomery, AL.

After Montgomery, Jer and Sal moved to Davis Monthon Air Force Base, Tucson, AZ, for a two-year tour as a Titan mis­sile maintenance officer. There Julie, Jerry’s second daughter, was born. Never satisfied with the “hum drum,” Jerry was alerted to a runaway “no-brake” power generator fly­wheel in the Titian missile silo. The missile crew evacuated, but Jerry, without regard to his own safety, entered the silo and managed to shut down the runaway flywheel without harm to himself or the silo. For his outstand­ing action, Jerry was awarded the Air Force Commendation Medal.

Jerry earned his master’s degree from the University of Southern California and subse­quently was assigned to the Pentagon, where he entered the Manpower and Organization career field of the Air Force in 1968. Although only a captain, Jerry stood out in the Pentagon. For example, he played a major role in imple­menting the Office of Management and Budget Circular A-76 directive into formal Air Force policy. It was the number two initia­tive on President George H.W. Bush’s man­agement agenda.

In 1973, Jerry was assigned to Wiesbaden, Germany, as commander of Detachment 11, 7200 Management Engineering Squadron, United States Air Forces Europe. Not want­ing to miss anything at the Pentagon, or “puzzle palace” as Jerry called it, he was reas­signed there in 1976 as a staff officer in the Directorate of Plans and Programs.

Jerry retired from active duty in June of 1980, 20 years, 20 days, and 20 minutes after his graduation from West Point. He became a proposal manager for Plantech Corporation, and later worked for Systems Flow, Inc. in Rockville, MD, as a manage­ment consultant to agencies throughout the federal government.

Jer loved to fish, play golf, garden, fish, make people laugh, fish, and fish some more. He was a real “homebody,” and his favorite place in the world was on the lazyboy with one dog on each side. Jerry would rather be home than any place else. In 1991, at the age of 53, Jer’s life ended suddenly from a heart attack while alone in his home at Christmas time.

Jerry is buried in Arlington National Cemetery near the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, a fitting spot for his gravesite. He often talked about the ceremony in 1958 honoring the burial of the Unknown Soldier from the Korean War. Jerry would recall his classmates who marched that day from the train station across the Memorial Bridge and into the cemetery, observing the corpsmen, going through the ranks and kneeling down with smelling salts to revive the cadets who were wearing wool uniforms in the op­pressive Washington, DC heat.

A friend said, “Jerry was a simple man of basic principles and personal in­tegrity.” He was regarded as a to­tal professional throughout his working life. “A nice guy if there ever was one.”

In addition to his wife, Jerry is survived by his two children, six grand­children, two sisters, and two nephews.

Sally J. Kramer, his wife