Thomas Cramer

Noank - Thomas Spencer Cramer died peacefully in the early morning of December 27th, at his home in Noank.

He was born on April 26, 1927, in Grand Rapids, Mich., the son of Paul J. Cramer and Hazel B. Brown Cramer. He graduated from Redford High School in Detroit, Mich., where he received both scholastic and athletic awards. He attended the United States Merchant Marine Academy at Kings Point, graduating in 1948, and then shipping out to South America. After serving as a licensed engineer with the Lykes Brothers Steamship Co. in 1948 and 1949, he received his degree in naval architecture from the University of Michigan in 1952, where he was a member of the Sigma Chi Fraternity and the Tau Beta Pi Engineering Honorary Fraternity.

He married Jeanne Margaret Wile, a registered nurse at the Henry Ford Hospital, on Dec. 28, 1950, at the St. Matthias Episcopal Church in Detroit. Mrs. Cramer died Jan. 16, 2002.

In 1952, he joined the Electric Boat Division in Groton. As a design engineer, he participated in the development of the world's first nuclear submarine, the USS Nautilus, commissioned in 1954. He subsequently became supervisor of steam plant systems, S5W test and refueling manager, manager of nuclear construction and repair, operations director, shipping port site manager, and chief engineer of design engineering. Upon his retirement in 1991, after 39 years with Electric Boat, he was program manager for the 688 Class Fast attack submarine.

An enthusiastic yachtsman, he began sailing on Herreshoff NY30. He was a Past Commodore of the Ram Island Yacht Club and a member of the Off Soundings Club. During his retirement, he enjoyed boating in his runabout, Fiddler. He was an avid gardener and accomplished woodworker, building ship models and furniture, and he also enjoyed carving.

He was a member of St. Mark's Episcopal Church in Mystic, where he served on the vestry and as senior warden. In 2000, he and his wife received the first Lion Heart Award for their services to St. Mark's Church.

Tom is survived by a brother, Paul Cramer, of Royal Oak, Mich.; daughters, Cheryl Cramer, of Uncasville, Pamela Cramer Gibbs, of Mystic, and Gretchen Cramer Dolan, of Annapolis; and sons, Bruce Cramer, of Severna Park, Md., Peter Cramer, of Annapolis, and Kurt Cramer, of Pawcatuck. He is also survived by nine grandchildren and two step-grandchildren

Tom's family will greet relatives and friends at The Dinoto Funeral Home, 17 Pearl Street, Historic downtown Mystic, on Thursday from 6 to 8 p.m. A Funeral Eucharist will be celebrated at St. Mark's Episcopal Church on Friday at 11 a.m. with burial following in Noank Valley Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, donations in his memory may be made to the America Heart Assoc, 5 Brookside Drive, Wallingford, CT 06492.

For obituary information, directions or to send an on-line condolence to the family, please visit www.dinotofuneral.com