Obituary for Alvah Ray "Al" Cramer
Alvah R. Cramer who lived a wonderful, interesting and active life for 90 years died peacefully on September 28, 2019. He was born in Tuxedo Park, New York on June 30, 1929. He is survived by his wife Cora (Coke). Together for sixty- six years, they hiked throughout the world in the mountains of twenty-five countries. skied on many slopes and annually vacationed in Maine. One of Al’s many pleasures was playing golf with his son, Dr. Jeffrey Cramer and his two grandsons, Matthew and Andrew.
Mr. Cramer graduated from George F. Baker High School in Tuxedo, New York, the State University of New York at Cortland and Columbia University in New York City. He taught school for ten years before coming to Connecticut taking the position of Assistant Principal at Newtown High School. The following year he was appointed Principal and served in that capacity for the next 19 years. While managing the high school with triple sessions due to overcrowding, he wrote the educational specifications for the new high school which he opened in 1970 in Sandy Hook. Al was extremely proud of having a swimming pool, a twelve hundred seat auditorium and a football stadium included in the school. The State of Connecticut General Assembly awarded him an Official Citation for his work in helping plan and design the new school.
In 1984, he was appointed Assistant Executive Director of the Connecticut Association of Schools with primary responsibility governing high school interscholastic athletics in Connecticut. Al led the way in developing the point system, still in use, which enabled high school football championships in Connecticut to be conducted. Under his leadership the following were developed: Cooperative teams; Girls Indoor track and field championships; Cheerleading competition; Combined Boys and Girls Championships in Cross Country, Indoor Track and Outdoor Track; Connecticut returning to the New England Championships and Workshops for New Athletic Directors.
In 1978 Mr. Cramer received the Connecticut Associations of Schools highest award the coveted “Citation”. In 1997 the State High School Boys Basketball Championship and in 2007 the High School Ice Hockey Championship were dedicated to him. In 1992 the New England Council of Secondary Schools inducted him into the Wrestling Hall of Fame. In addition to his educational work, Al served in the US Army during the Korea War and the National Ski Patrol for ten years. Other leadership endeavors were President of the Newtown Rotary Club, Chairman of the 2008 Newtown Charter Revision Commission, President of the Connecticut Association of Schools and the Board of Directors of the Newtown Ambulance Association.
Al and his wife Coke visited many beautiful “off the beaten path” places, in Europe, Asia, Africa, New Zealand and North America. He always said we are fortunate with so many of God’s Blessings.
Funeral Services will be held Friday October 4, 2019 at 10:00am in the Newtown United Methodist Church, 92 Church Hill Road, Sandy Hook. Interment with Military Honors will follow in Newtown Village Cemetery. Friends may call at Honan Funeral Home, 58 Main Street, Newtown Thursday October 3 from 5:00pm to 8:00pm. In lieu of flowers, donations to Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center www.giving.mskcc.org or to the Newtown United Methodist Church will be appreciated.
Mr. Cramer graduated from George F. Baker High School in Tuxedo, New York, the State University of New York at Cortland and Columbia University in New York City. He taught school for ten years before coming to Connecticut taking the position of Assistant Principal at Newtown High School. The following year he was appointed Principal and served in that capacity for the next 19 years. While managing the high school with triple sessions due to overcrowding, he wrote the educational specifications for the new high school which he opened in 1970 in Sandy Hook. Al was extremely proud of having a swimming pool, a twelve hundred seat auditorium and a football stadium included in the school. The State of Connecticut General Assembly awarded him an Official Citation for his work in helping plan and design the new school.
In 1984, he was appointed Assistant Executive Director of the Connecticut Association of Schools with primary responsibility governing high school interscholastic athletics in Connecticut. Al led the way in developing the point system, still in use, which enabled high school football championships in Connecticut to be conducted. Under his leadership the following were developed: Cooperative teams; Girls Indoor track and field championships; Cheerleading competition; Combined Boys and Girls Championships in Cross Country, Indoor Track and Outdoor Track; Connecticut returning to the New England Championships and Workshops for New Athletic Directors.
In 1978 Mr. Cramer received the Connecticut Associations of Schools highest award the coveted “Citation”. In 1997 the State High School Boys Basketball Championship and in 2007 the High School Ice Hockey Championship were dedicated to him. In 1992 the New England Council of Secondary Schools inducted him into the Wrestling Hall of Fame. In addition to his educational work, Al served in the US Army during the Korea War and the National Ski Patrol for ten years. Other leadership endeavors were President of the Newtown Rotary Club, Chairman of the 2008 Newtown Charter Revision Commission, President of the Connecticut Association of Schools and the Board of Directors of the Newtown Ambulance Association.
Al and his wife Coke visited many beautiful “off the beaten path” places, in Europe, Asia, Africa, New Zealand and North America. He always said we are fortunate with so many of God’s Blessings.
Funeral Services will be held Friday October 4, 2019 at 10:00am in the Newtown United Methodist Church, 92 Church Hill Road, Sandy Hook. Interment with Military Honors will follow in Newtown Village Cemetery. Friends may call at Honan Funeral Home, 58 Main Street, Newtown Thursday October 3 from 5:00pm to 8:00pm. In lieu of flowers, donations to Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center www.giving.mskcc.org or to the Newtown United Methodist Church will be appreciated.