Carol Ann Kramer

I truly believe that a funeral service such as this is not so much because a person has died but more importantly because they have lived and it is because Carol Ann lived that we have gathered here today. I know that there are so many feelings we bring sadness, emptiness and unreality - a feeling that we just cannot believe what has happened but also thankfulness for the blessing of Carol Ann’s life.

We also bring memories, memories of Carol Ann. She has been a big part of your lives and today we give thanks for those memories, We may smile about some of them, laugh out loud about some, groan about some and even cry about some. But together we share and celebrate the person that Carol Ann was and indeed still is to each one of you.

Carol Ann was born August 16, 1951 the oldest of seven children of Frank and Audrey Kramer. She had four sisters Frances, Delores, Nancy and Barb and two brothers Gordie and Frank. Carol Ann was born with cerebral palsy and never walked by herself, but that never stopped her. Carol was a very independent person all her life. Her parents never babied her they let her try and treated her just like her siblings.

Even as a child when she was outside with her wheelchair she would be on the go. That was an attitude she maintained throughout her life. Carol Ann attended Merrifield School and then began work at Soogoma. She enjoyed and took pride in going to work and doing her part. She loved to be with her friends.

Carol Ann’s life was great enhanced by the wonderful support system in Sault Ste Marie, the March of Dines, Easter Seals Society and Rotary Club all added many wonderful experiences and opportunities that allowed Carol Ann to make the most of her life. These groups and others like them gave Carol Ann and her family a quality of life that would not have been possible otherwise.

For the most part Carol Ann was a happy person. She loved to do jigsaw puzzles and word searches. She also enjoyed going to bingo at the Verdi on Monday’s and she appreciated all the prizes she won there. The special Olympics program allowed Carol Ann to experience many things and to do some travelling. Carol liked going places. She had been to Disney Land, Florida and the East Coast.

When she was in her mid thirties Carol Ann decided that she couldn’t live with her mother and father forever and so she moved to an apartment at 911 Bay Street. Later she moved to the Knights of Columbus building and about seven years ago to Tender Care. If Carol Ann wanted to go somewhere she simply called the Para bus and made the arrangements and off she went. Carol enjoyed meeting people, going to the Mall with her was an experience because she knew more people that her parents did.

Carol Ann had many good friends people like Pat and Mary and Debbie to name just a few. Friends were an important part of her life. Carol though nothing of going to visit them where ever they might be.

Carol Ann was a bit of a hoarder. It didn’t matter what anyone gave her she loved it and kept it. She had many, many stuffed animals plus all the prizes she won at bingo and she loved to win at bingo. Her attitude was always I’m going to try. She never looked at something and said I can’t do it. That was a gift her parents had given her by not treating her as different or special, just helping her find ways to adapt to the conditions she found herself in.

Family was important to Carol Ann, her parents, her brothers and sisters, her nieces and nephew all held a special place in her heart. She never forgot a birthday or anniversary and you could always count on a phone call from her remembering you on your special day. Carol Ann had a strong and supportive family. She was Daddy’s little girl and if she had a problem no matter what time she knew she could call him and he and her mother would be there for her. She always enjoyed family gatherings, in recent years they more often than not brought the gathering to her, but they were together and that was all that mattered.

Carol Ann had the radio on all the time. She loved to watch cartoons or Little House on the Prairie and the Walton’s on television. If her father visited her and tried to change the channel to watch baseball she would quickly remind him to turn the channel back please.

As her disease progressed it became more difficult for Carol Ann to speak and be understood, but you never had any doubt when you looked at her eyes because she truly smiled with her eyes, that sparkle said all that needed to be said.

The last few months have been difficult for her and on Friday you lost this special person in your life. No one in this world is perfect, we all have imperfections, cracks that keep us from doing and being the people we want to be. Carol Ann’s cerebral Palsy might be seen as a crack an imperfection that kept her from experiencing life as fully as you and she might have liked. Sometimes those cracks can be viewed a different way and we can see another person through different eyes. There is a story told about a pot with just those kinds of cracks that I would like to share with you now.

A water bearer in India had two large pots, one hung on each end of a pole which he carried across his neck. One of the pots had a crack in it, and while the other pot was perfect and always delivered a full portion of water at the end of the long walk from the stream to the master's house. The cracked pot arrived only half full. For a full two years this went on daily, with the bearer delivering only one and a half pots full of water in his master's house.

Of course, the perfect pot was proud of its accomplishments, perfect to the end for which it was made. But the poor cracked pot was ashamed of its own imperfection, and miserable that it was able to accomplish only half of what it had been made to do. After two years of what it perceived to be a bitter failure, it spoke to the water bearer one day by the stream. "I am ashamed of myself, and I want to apologize to you."

Why?" asked the bearer. What are you ashamed of?"

"I have been able, for these past two years, to deliver only half my load because this crack in my side causes water to leak out all the way back to your master's house. Because of my flaws, you have to do all of this work, and you don't get full value from your efforts," the pot said.

The water bearer felt sorry for the old cracked pot, and in his compassion he said, "As we return to the master's house, I want you to notice the beautiful flowers along the path. "Indeed, as they went up the hill, the old cracked pot took notice of the sun warming the beautiful wild flowers on the side of the path, and this cheered it some.

But at the end of the trail, it still felt bad because it had leaked out half its load, and so again it apologized to the bearer for its failure.

The bearer said to the pot, "Did you notice that there were flowers only on your side of your path, but not on the other pot's side?” That's because I have always known about your flaw, and I took advantage of it. I planted flower seeds on your side of the path, and every day while we walk back from the stream, you've watered them.

For two years I have been able to pick these beautiful flowers to decorate my master's table. Without you being just the way you are, he would not have this beauty to grace his house."

While her disease changed how Carol Ann lived her life, in many ways it didn’t limit her. Carol Ann had a full life, a good life. What we need to remember is that she was a special person who wanted what each of us wants to be loved and cared for to be listened to and shared with and you who are gathered in this room gave her that love and caring.

The beautiful words of the 23rd Psalm words that tell us we are loved and cared for. That just as a shepherd diligently cares for his flock, for each individual sheep, just as he leads them to green pastures, guides them to fresh water and watches over them through good times and bad, so does God care for each one of us.

God was with Carol Ann all the days of her life, when Carol Ann was aware of it and even when She wasn’t. During the good times and the bad God was there with her and during her last moments of this life God was there gently guiding Carol Ann to green pastures.

A beautiful life

that came to an end,

she died as she lived,

everyone's friend.

In our hearts,

a memory will always be kept,

of one we loved,

and will never forget.

KRAMER, Carol Ann – Passed away peacefully at Extendicare Maple View Nursing Home on Friday, May 17, 2013 at the age of 61. Beloved daughter of Frank Sr. and Audrey Kramer. Dear sister of Frances Dolph (Albert), Dolores Tagliabracci (Tony), Nancy Vierin (Eric), Gordie (Diane), Frank Jr. (Penny) and Barb (Jim). She will be sadly missed by nieces and nephews; Jeff (Shasta), Michael (Lidia), Robin (Matt), Samantha, Shawn and Christopher. Special friend of Debbie, Pat and Mary. Friends may call at the Arthur Funeral Home & Cremation Centre on Wednesday, May 22, 2013 from 11 am until 12:30 pm. Funeral service at 1 pm. Mrs. Helen Smith officiating. Interment Greenwood Cemetery. Memorial donations to the Extendicare Maple View Nursing Home or to a charity of your choice would be appreciated. The Kramer family would like to thank the Easter Seals Society, Rotary Club of Sault Ste. Marie and the March of Dimes for all their help and assistance through the years. Also Dr. Fera for his medical care. Expressions of sympathy may be offered at www.arthurfuneralhome.com.

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KRAMER, Carol Ann – Passed away peacefully at Extendicare Maple View Nursing Home on Friday, May 17, 2013 at the age of 61. Beloved daughter of Frank Sr. and Audrey Kramer. Dear sister of Frances Dolph (Albert), Dolores Tagliabracci (Tony), Nancy Vierin (Eric), Gordie (Diane), Frank Jr. (Penny) and Barb (Jim). She will be sadly missed by nieces and nephews; Jeff (Shasta), Michael (Lidia), Robin (Matt), Samantha, Shawn and Christopher. Special friend of Debbie, Pat and Mary. Friends may call at the Arthur Funeral Home & Cremation Centre on Wednesday, May 22, 2013 from 11 am until 12:30 pm. Funeral service at 1 pm. Mrs. Helen Smith officiating. Interment Greenwood Cemetery. Memorial donations to the Extendicare Maple View Nursing Home or to a charity of your choice would be appreciated. The Kramer family would like to thank the Easter Seals Society, Rotary Club of Sault Ste. Marie and the March of Dimes for all their help and assistance through the years. Also Dr. Fera for his medical care. Expressions of sympathy may be offered at www.arthurfuneralhome.com.