Clayton Alexander Kramer

With deep sadness, we announce the sudden passing of our beloved Clayton Alexander Kramer of Sudden Epileptic Death on Friday, April 29, at the young age of 27. Clayton was born on September 21, 1994. He grew up in Cary and attended Morrisville Elementary through fifth grade before moving to Cary Academy, where he attended middle and high school. Clayton graduated from Cary Academy in the spring of 2013 and went on to pursue a degree in Statistics from North Carolina State University. Following college, Clayton worked as a Business Analyst at SAS Institute in Cary.

Anyone who knew Clayton knew that he was a sports fanatic. He and his brother, Adam, shared a love for Carolina Panthers football and Atlanta Braves baseball, but no team held a larger place in Clayton’s heart than NC State. Clayton attended countless football and basketball games with his family through the years and win or lose, truly enjoyed every moment. Carter-Finley Stadium and PNC Arena were without a doubt his happy places.

You never walked away from a conversation with Clayton without learning something. Clayton was known for his encyclopedic knowledge on so many topics; from sports to geography to movies, his family and friends knew better than to challenge him to an episode of Jeopardy. In the past few years, Clayton discovered a love for stand-up comedy and was eager to perfect his own stand-up routine.

Clayton was a place of comfort for all who knew him. He was an exceptional listener, both understanding and interested, and always remembered the details of what you told him. He was that person who asked about your son in college, your sister who had a baby, or the wedding you attended last weekend.

Clayton’s true gift was profound acceptance. We all work to be more open-minded, tolerant, and less judgmental, but Clayton showed us what it truly meant to accept people for who they are. Clayton was a freethinker; he found happiness not in money or material goods, but in the people he loved and the unique experiences they brought to his life.

Clayton is survived by his loving mother and step-father, Gail and James Stephens; siblings Adam and Kathleen Kramer, Erin and Jonathan Long, and Brian Stephens; niece Brighton Long and nephews Grady Long and Mason Kramer; grandmother Janie Jeans; aunts and uncles Sharon and Terry Southard, Gordon and Mary Jeans, Daniel and Rachel Jeans, David and Lisa Jeans, and Brent Walden; and cousins Christopher (Emilie) Southard, Alexandra (Stephen) Coltrane, Samantha (Joey) Plutro, Michelle (Trey) Brown, Nicole Jeans, Jennifer Jeans, Kimberly Jeans, Aaron Jeans, Brandon Jeans, and Bailey Walden. Clayton joins his adored grandmother, Wanda Dean, grandfather, Harry Jeans, and family beagles, Marley and Walker, in Heaven.

We invite family, friends, and colleagues to join us in a celebration of Clayton’s life on Thursday, May 5, 2022, through a visitation at 10 a.m., followed by a ceremony at 11 a.m., at Brown-Wynne Funeral Home, 200 SE Maynard Road, Cary, NC 27511. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Epilepsy Foundation at epilepsy.com.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.BrownWynneCary.com for the family.