Pork Care Packages in Honor of Gary Kramer
posted on Sunday, April 14, 2019
“’Once a Marine, always a Marine,’” is a motto of the United States Marine Corps, and my father would have loved to have been here today to experience this,” said Bart Kramer, son of the late Gary Kramer. “This moment here today involves the people he held in the highest regard—his fellow Marines."
Today, members of the Kramer family—Vicki Kramer, Bart Kramer, Blake, Beth (Kramer), John Reding and Carrie (Kramer) Dueker—delivered pork care packages to the members of the Echo Company, 2d Bn, 24th Marines in Des Moines. In honor of Gary, who served in the USMC.
Just over a year ago, Gary lost his battle with cancer. He was a very special friend to the Hansen family, a long-time employee of New Modern Concepts and the number one cheerleader for Iowa Select Farms and the Deb and Jeff Hansen Foundation.
Gary was the proudest of Marines, attending “boot camp” at Camp Pendleton, California in 1966. He joined the HqCo, 8th Marine Division, FMF at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. He was discharged in 1968.
Gary worked in sales and transportation, delivering loads of equipment out to farmers across the Midwest. During his retirement years, Gary took much pride in driving the Iowa Select Farms semi-truck—“Black Beauty”—through Iowa, delivering care packages and cases of pork loins to communities on behalf of the Deb and Jeff Hansen Foundation. Now Bart drives the semi-truck, which displays a special memorial in his father’s honor, right under the driver’s side door.
“Our family is thankful for Jeff and Deb Hansen and Iowa Select Farms for the donation made in his honor, and that we could be here to share the moment,” said Bart. “We send our gratitude to all who serve our country with courage and integrity.”
Subscribe to our newsletter: Get fresh articles delivered straight to your inbox.
Subscribe