Charles Wyant Kramer II

Joyfully and sadly, Charles Wyant Kramer II was reunited with his best friend and wife of 68 years, Xenia Claire Ruffin Kramer, on Wednesday, August 30, 2023. He has taken her hand and she has ushered him into heaven where they are dancing on the streets of gold.

A Memorial Service for Charles Wyant Kramer II, 96, will be held on Tuesday, September 5, 2023, in the sanctuary at Noel Memorial United Methodist Church, 520 Herndon St., Shreveport, Louisiana at 11:00 a.m. A visitation will be held at Noel Memorial United Methodist Church at 10:00 am. until time of service. Officiating the service will be Reverend Kaylan Walker.

Charles is survived by his devoted daughters, Carol Wyant Kramer and Ginger Kramer Osburne and husband, Rick; granddaughters, Erica Allison Osburne and Amanda Claire Osburne Delaup and husband, Andy and his twin great-granddaughters, Claire Carter Delaup and Davi Harper Delaup (who were born on Charles and Claire’s wedding anniversary).  He is also survived by numerous nieces and nephews.

Charles was born January 21, 1927 to Mr. Charles Wyant Kramer, Sr.  and Mrs. Ethel Kern Kramer in Shreveport, Louisiana. He graduated from C.E. Byrd High School in 1943 and later attended Centenary College of Louisiana. After serving in the U.S. Army during World War II, he earned a BS degree from Louisiana Tech University in 1950, where he was a member of Lamda Chi Alpha Fraternity.  He met the love of his life, Claire, while attending Tech and they enjoyed their life together until she passed in 2017.   Charles was predeceased by his sisters, Virginia Rose Kramer and Ethel Kramer Colquitt.

 Charles and Claire were inseparable ever since the met at Louisiana Tech University; if one was seen, the other was very close by. They always held hands. He was devoted to all of the females in his life, so much that the girls called him Wondy, short for Mr. Wonderful. Even the girls’ friends called him Wondy.   Every Saturday, for about 25 years, he took his father-in-law, his daughters, his nieces and their friends to the family farm in DeSoto Parish where they rode horses, “cut” cattle, drove the tractors and “picked” corn and cotton for fun.

Charles joined Noel Memorial United Methodist Church on April 9, 1950; he served on the church’s Administrative Board and many years as president of the Freeman Fellowship Sunday School Class. He retired from Ark-La Gas after 42 years having served as Manager of the Budget Department and at the time of his retirement, Manager of Records Management. While working for Ark-La Gas, Charles served as a volunteer on the Board of Directors of ANECA Federal Credit Union, with 35 of those years as chairman of the Board and president. He was elected to Board Chairman Emeritus of ANECA in 2010. During his many years of volunteering for the credit union, Charles served as President of the Shreveport Credit Union Chapter and President of the Louisiana Credit Union League. He is considered a “torch bearer” for governmental affairs working with the Credit Union National Association to ensure that credit unions would survive and thrive in the future. He served as president of the Red River Syndicate for over 20 years. Charles was also active in community affairs. He was President of the Shreveport Junior Chamber of Commerce, advisor for Junior Achievement, and Past Master of his Masonic Lodge. He was a member of the Scottish Rite, the El Karubah Shrine and Pierremont Oaks Tennis Club. For his many years of supporting and providing behind-the-scenes help to Claire with Holiday in Dixie, Charles was named Honorary Chairman of the Ambassadors Club and Honorary President of Holiday in Dixie.

The family suggests that memorials may be made to Holy Angels Residential Facility, 10450 Ellerbe Road, Shreveport, Louisiana, 71115 or Noel Memorial United Methodist Church, 520 Herndon St., Shreveport, Louisiana, 71101.