Bill Cramer

William Lloyd “Bill” Cramer, age 85 years of Niles, Michigan; husband, father, grandfather, accountant, fisherman, and devoted follower of Jesus Christ died at 6:18 a.m. on Tuesday, March 3, 2026 with his family gathered around at his home, following a long fight against Parkinson’s Disease.

He was born on July 5, 1940 in Niles to Edwin W. and Wilma L. (Myers) Cramer, was raised in the family’s grocery store on Michigan Street, and was graduated from Niles High School. He continued his education at Albion (Michigan) College, graduating in 1962 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting. He enlisted in the United States Army National Guard, and completed Basic Training at Fort Gordon, Georgia. He was deployed in 1967 to the Detroit Riots, and completed his Army National Guard of Michigan obligation in 1970.

He was first employed at the First Bank and Trust Company of South Bend (now 1st Source), and was later employed as the Patient Account Manager at the former Pawating Hospital in Niles. He was then employed for several years at the former Watervliet Community Hospital from which he retired in 2005.

Bill was a member of the First Baptist Church of Niles where he sang in the choir, and served as treasurer. In the 1990’s he joined the Community Evangelical Free Church in Niles where he served several terms as a Deacon. He was a member of the DeColores Ministries of Southwest Michigan, serving many weekend-long events, quietly making sure that everything ran smoothly. He also enjoyed singing with a local barbershop quartet.

Bill took many missionary trips to Haiti, supporting the Tabernacle of Praise Church in Cap-Haïtien, and its founder, the late Pastor Ecclesias Donatien, and later traveled to Haiti with the Volunteer Optometric Services to Humanity (VOSH), along with some Niles area Optometrists.

At home, Bill enjoyed yardwork, especially mowing the lawn, and always looked forward to fishing at the family retreat on Indian Lake. He helped his wife and daughters with their tag-sales through C&B Sales and Service, and for many years has been active in the Rock Steady Boxing Parkinson’s Therapy program.

He was first married to the former Marcia Riedel, and they were sadly preceded in death by an infant son, Charles B. Cramer in 1972

On November 25, 1978 at the First Baptist Church of Niles, he married the former Karla Rae (Gill) Elms with whom he celebrated last year the remarkable Forty-seventh anniversary of their wedding.

Surviving family includes his wife, Karla Cramer, and children Shannon Elms (& Jeff Montgomery), Brett (& Janet) Elms, Kim (& Rick) Blake, and LeAnne Cramer-Scott, all of Niles; grandchildren Joe Kelley, Ashley Henrichsen, Andrew Henrichsen, Trey Scott, Brianna Elms, Izzy Scott, Ty Elms, Gabby Blake, Kayden Scott, Travis Blake, and Tyler Blake; great-grandchildren Mason, Ellie, and Milah; and Bill’s brother, Richard (& Karen) Cramer of Grand Haven, Michigan; and several nieces and nephews.

Services for Bill Cramer will be at 3:00 p.m. on Sunday, March 8, 2026 at the Community Evangelical Free Church, 120 East Bertrand Road in Niles, with Pastor B.J. Clear of the church officiating, with memories by Pastor Matt Hickok. The service will include the Veteran’s Flag Presentation and “Taps” by the United States Army Honor Guard.

Contributions in memory of Bill may be made to the church, or to the Michigan Parkinson Foundation, 30400 Telegraph Road, Suite 150, Bingham Farms, Michigan, 48025, https://parkinsonsmi.org/; or to Rock Steady Boxing, 6847 Hillsdale Court, Indianapolis, Indiana, 46250, https://rocksteadyboxing.org/. Arrangements were completed at the Halbritter-Wickens Funeral Home, 615 East Main Street in Niles. Memories and condolences may be left online at:

www.halbritterwickens.com

Psalms 90:10 suggests that we might live to be 70, or by strength 80, and Bill exceeded that, using the years of his life to love God by serving others. He served in the military, and then a career of quietly collecting patient accounts, and in the background at church, humbly keeping the books. He enjoyed the solitude of fishing and yardwork, but – quite opposite – he enjoyed singing – even barbershop style, and boxing! Most importantly, he raised a houseful of children, and their children; and he loved Karla; all evidence of fulfilling the command to love God and love people.