Herbert “Herb” Cramer was a loving husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, friend and sometimes philosopher. To his children, he was a hero, teaching them life lessons until the very end and always offering his colorful thoughts on the world. As a self-proclaimed realist, he taught his children by example to be brutally honest and transparent in everything they did. His love and support of his wife and children was parallel to none, offering encouragement with every new endeavor. With his cherished wife of 63 years, Gerri, they built a foundation of love, honor, integrity and respect that their children and grandkids are the benefactors of. Having grown up in Philadelphia, Herb joined the Merchant Marines, then the Air Force during the Korean War. He served in Europe and North Africa and received an honorable discharge at the end of his service. Upon returning home, he met, courted and married Gerri. They then added Stewart, Marc, Brett, Todd (dec.) and Dayna to their family, also known as his “island.” His children were his pride and joy. One of his typical comments was “I wouldn’t take a million dollars for one of my kids or give someone else ten bucks for one of theirs.” In 1972, they relocated to Las Vegas where Herb co-owned Stu-Mar Bootery, before going solo and opening Las Vegas Shoe Mart on Fremont Street. He later expanded with a second store, Towne Shoes, in North Las Vegas. His entrepreneurial spirit lead to other businesses, including Elite Carpet Care. Upon retirement in 2000, he enjoyed hobbies like fishing, gaming, watching westerns and, ultimately, model airplane builds. The hangar in his and Gerri’s home is filled with his original designs. He is survived by his wife, Gerri; three sons, Stewart Cramer (Ricky), Marc Cramer (Sandi), Brett Cramer (Barbara); daughter, Dayna Cramer (Carlos Rodriguez); seven grandchildren, Rebecca Turner, Joshua Cramer, Hannah Cramer, Philip Cramer, Thaddeus Cramer, Joshua Pal, Isaac Pal; two great-grandchildren, Penny and Julian Turner; brother, Donald (Iris); and much-loved extended family and friends. The family requests that memorial donations be made to the Jewish War Veterans (www.jwv.org) or the American Heart Association.
Service services will be held at 11:00AM on Tuesday, June 2, 2020 at King David Memorial Chapel, 2697 E. Eldorado Lane, Las Vegas, NV. Burial will follow at Palm Valley View Cemetery. King David Memorial Chapel handled the services.
