George Cramer, 85, of Hiawatha, passed away Friday, Oct. 16, 2020. A funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 24, at First Assembly of God with visitation starting at 10 a.m. Private burial at Cedar Memorial Park Cemetery.
George Daniel Cramer was born April 28, 1935, in Neosho, Mo., the son of Elmer and Myrtle (Mayfield) Cramer. He attended a country school and then went to Neosho High School, where he played football and ran track. He then continued on to the University of Missouri and lettered in football. George earned a degree in civil engineering. After college, he joined his brothers in Iowa as a partner in the family bridge-building business. Some of the major projects include all of the downtown river bridges including the 5-in-1 Dam and the Edgewood Road bridge. After a lifetime of bridge building, he wintered in Naples, Fla., where he fished with his friends and rode his bicycle.
George was united in marriage to Irene Reece on Nov. 21, 1958, in Creston, Iowa. From this union, there were born four children. He was a member of the First Assembly of God Church in Cedar Rapids for 57 years. He was also a member of the Otter Creek Lions Club.
Those left to honor George’s memory are his wife, Irene; his children, Sherri O’Neal of Spring Hill, Tenn., Shawn Hauskins of Hiawatha, Daniel (Teresa) Cramer of Grimes, Iowa, and Matthew (Robin) Cramer of Urbandale, Iowa; two brothers, Dallas (Delores) Cramer of Stockton, Mo., and Don (Janine) Cramer of Waukee, Iowa; 15 grandchildren; and 20 great-grandchildren.
George was preceded in death by his parents, two sisters, two brothers, a son-in-law, a grandchild and one great-grandchild.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be sent to First Assembly of God Church, Isaac Newton Christian Academy or Otter Creek Lions Club.
