June Irene Davolt Kramer, a resident of Harstine Island, near Shelton, died May 4, 2002; she was 85. She suffered from Alzheimer’s disease during the last several years of her life.
She was born June 4, 1916, in Corvallis, Ore. She grew up in Kelso and graduated from Kelso High School in 1934. She attended Oregon State College in Corvallis for two years before transfering to and earning her teaching credentials from Eastern Washington College of Education in Cheney.She taught for several years, first as a kindergarten teacher in Seattle public schools and later at Helen Bush School in Seattle. She married Richard E. Kramer on June 6, 1942, and they lived on Capitol Hill in Seattle before building and moving into a new home in the Innis Arden area of North Seattle in 1956. June developed and administered a private pre-school in North Seattle for many years. Then, after receiving special training from the state of Washington, June spent several years working with the elderly as the activities director for Ballard Convalescence Center.
June was an active member of the Sisterhood of PEO Chapter DA. She was a very talented musician, both instrumentally and vocally, participating in the Seattle Philomel and the Innis Arden Triads. Over the years, she used her musical abilities as well as her arts and crafts creativity and talent to support community activities in the areas she lived.
June and her husband Dick spent many winters of their retirement years traveling the Baja of Mexico and staying at Rancho Casa Blanca in Indio, Calif., before returning to their waterfront house on Harstine Island.
She was preceded in death by her parents, longtime Cowlitz County residents, Claud O. Davolt and Pearl (Williams) Davolt and by a sister, Virginia Bolick.
Survivors include her husband of 60 years, Richard E. Kramer of Harstine Island, son Kendall D. Kramer and wife Sandy of Longview, daughter Karolyn K. Bates and husband John of Oak Harbor. Grandchildren include Kory Karmer and Kilynn Kramer of Longview and Casey Bates and Amy Bates of Oak Harbor. A sister, Dorothy Gene Ingle of Portland, Ore., also survives June.
Memorial donations may be made to Harstine Island Community Women’s Club, c/o Kathy Doherty, 891 E. McMicken Road, Shelton WA 98584 or the Cowlitz County Historical Museum, attn David Freece, 405 Allen Street, Kelso WA 98626.
Cremation will follow a private family burial at Harstine Island Community Cemetery. A memorial gathering of family and friends will take place at Harstine Island Community Clubhouse at noon on Saturday, July 6, 2002.
