Richard Claude Kramer

I once heard that Dick was born, raised and died at Bonneville Golf course, although this parents Herman and Doretta Kramer said otherwise. He may have even wrestled a few grizzly bears up at Bonnie. After 55 years of being the Pro at Bonneville this is true in many ways. As I remember hearing his wife Doris (she proclaimed herself a golf widow many years ago) speaking about the subject, I believe it is true. He spent every day at the course; spring, summer, fall and winter, I believe he only missed 3 days of not spending at least several hours at the course. Well, there were the Christmas trips up to Oregon to see the grandkids, but it was back to Bonnie once he and Doris returned home. Growing up during the depression, he and his brothers understood the meaning of hard work and going without. An outstanding athlete just like his brothers Sid, Les and Tom, Dick could have excelled at any sport and did at several. He was “All State” at Granite High School and played basketball and football at the U of U, but golf was the game he truly loved. Dick was self-taught and never took a golf lesson. While working as a caddie at Salt Lake Country Club, he barrowed a members set of clubs and won the caddies tournament, walking away with his first set of clubs. Several years later Dick won his first recognized tournament, the Utah Copper Amateur in 1941 which started the ride of a lifetime, winning many local and regional tournaments. Dick worked for Mountain Fuel as a meter reader and then as a deputy Sherriff when he was asked to become the Head Pro at Bonneville which he couldn’t turn down, that was 1943. In ’44 and ‘45 he served in the navy during the war on a troop transport ship, those were the only years away from Bonneville. He had several jobs in the Navy, one being the escort for the Captain of the ship. For years I remember The Bonneville Pro being referred to as the “Big Hitter from Bonneville!” As we walked down the fairway during a golf tournament Dick stated, “I don’t hit the ball that far, a lot of the young kids playing the game today hit the ball a lot farther than I do!” Of course this was his last tournament win in 1970; I believe he was 51 at the time. While the Pro at Bonneville he gave many young kids a job and their first taste of playing golf as he did for me. Golf is a gentlemen’s game and Dick was always a gentlemen whether on the golf course, greeting golfers in the golf shop or in public. After retiring in 2000 at 81, we would play golf several times a week in the evenings at Bonneville. He spent most of the time replacing the divots, repairing the ball marks on greens and picking up the litter he found while we played, just as he had done for the past 60 plus years. He was 88 the last time he played. Dick lived a long and healthy life and lived it his way! After 96 years of hard work and out-living his three brothers Sid, Les and Tom, two wives Doris Swenson and Betty Pedersen, his daughter Shannon Stevens, a grandson Sgt. Aaron Kramer and most of his many long time friends and golf buddies, it was time for Dick to move on to a new course which he did on October the 9th. Dick leaves behind his son Rick, eight grandkids and twenty-eight great grand kids. Please, he wanted no flowers, rather to make donations to The American Cancer Society in memory of his daughter Shannon or to The Fisher House or the Wounded Warrior Project in memory of his grandson Aaron. Come and meet with family and friends at Wasatch Lawn Mortuary located at 3401 So Highland Drive on Wednesday October the 14th from 10 to 11 that morning. After there will be a celebration of his life in the chapel, noon to 1:00 with the graveside service to follow.