Catherine J. Cramer
1925-2020
Catherine Jones Cramer, 95, mother of Carol C. Bullard of Snyder and Holly E. Cramer of Santa Barbara, Calif., died Friday, July 31, 2020, in Santa Barbara.
A private family service will be held with interment at the Santa Barbara Cemetery.
Catherine J. Cramer was born Feb. 12, 1925, in Minneapolis, Minn. After graduating from Stanford University with a degree in Economics, Labor Relations and Labor Law, she married T. Dudley Cramer in Carlsbad, N.M. in 1947.
Throughout her lifetime, Catherine Cramer lived all over the United States and abroad including California (Pasadena, Taft, Menlo Park, Whittier, Santa Barbara), Texas (Houston and Snyder), New York City, Colonial Williamsburg, Iowa Falls, Iowa, St. Louis, Mo. and Paris, France. Wherever she lived, she contributed to the enrichment of the community through extensive volunteer work.
Among her many community contributions included founding an AAUW (American Association of University Women) chapter for music appreciation, starting a Senior Girl Scout Troop, organizing the Orange County Philharmonic Symphony for Youth concerts and programs, as well as founding the Scurry County Museum.
In May of 1968, the Cramer family was transferred by Standard Oil of California (which later became Chevron Oil Company) to Snyder. Along with horseback riding, helping daughter Holly with various 4-H projects, and a busy family life, it was once again her dedicated community service that was to leave a living legacy that is still a vibrant part of Scurry County today: the Scurry County Museum.
While in Snyder, she made many lifelong friends while also spending countless volunteer hours devoted to her love of West Texas and its rich heritage. Her organizational skills brought together diverse groups of people with knowledge of the area in order to research and develop a cohesive history to be told through the founding and development of the Scurry County Museum which met national accreditation standards.
As founding director, she coordinated the development of systems and procedures for: collecting, accessioning and cataloging artifacts, gathering a chronological narrative with the main topics to be displayed and training docents or tour guides. She also initiated school classroom visits, membership drives and formed various committees for volunteers. She collaborated extensively with the architects on the design for the new museum building to be built on the Western Texas College campus. She also worked to set up bylaws for the Scurry County Museum which were modeled after those of the Smithsonian.
She fervently worked on the Museum Project, including the exhibit design and installation, through its grand opening in the Learning Resource Center room located at WTC until the family was transferred back to California in 1972. She continued to serve the Museum in the capacity of consultant and would periodically fly back to Snyder to assist while the fledgling organization was expanding into its new current building on the WTC campus.
After moving to Santa Barbara, Calif., she also served as an exhibit design consultant for the Santa Barbara Mission.
Everywhere she lived, she would throw herself wholeheartedly into whatever project she became involved with. Throughout her life, she would persevere in the face of adversity with a strong faith, with fortitude, compassion, drive and determination. She will be greatly missed.
Survivors include a daughter, Holly E. Cramer of Santa Barbara; a daughter and son-in-law, Carol and Drew Bullard of Snyder; and two grandchildren, Mark Bullard of Dallas and Christina Bullard Daly of Killingworth, Conn. She is also survived by a cousin, a niece and nephews.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be sent to the Scurry County Museum Association, 6200 College Ave., Snyder, TX 79549.