Fifth Generation

48. Lela Alvina Louisa BARTELS was born on 13 June 1917 in Tomah, Tomah Township, Monroe County, WI.^26,30,40,65 She appeared in the census in 1920 in Tomah Township, Monroe County, WI.²⁶ She died in September 2007 at the age of 90.⁴⁰

Obituary Notes: "Lela A. Cramer was born June 13, 1917, as the eldest daughter to Fred and Lula Bartels in Tomah and lived on the family farm. She married Ira Cramer on March 31, 1939, in Cedar Falls, IA. They then moved to Milwaukee, where they resided until Ira died Sept. 3, 1951. Shortly after she moved to Hales Corners, where she lived until 1958. To escape the winters of Wisconsin and for personal reasons, she decided to move to Ventura, CA. She opened her own seamstress and dry cleaning store, which she ran until she retired in 1982. She was a wiz at sewing almost anything and encouraged others to sew. Her home was open and relatives enjoyed visiting her in sunny California. In her retirement, she moved to Santa Paula, CA, where she enjoyed shuffleboard, cribbage, traveling and playing cards. And she was always available to lend a helping hand. She could also be easily coaxed into a piece of pie.

In February 2007, her sister Jeanette Wagner and her husband Maynard moved Lela back to Wisconsin to Applewood Senior Retirement Facility, where she was close to family and lived until her death.

She is survived by her sisters, Ethel Lamb (Oscar) and Jeanette Wagner (Maynard) along with nieces and nephews Lloyd Cramer (LaVerne), Bruce Wagner, William Lamb (Mary), Susan Draeger, Steven Wagner, cousins and grand-nieces and grand-nephews. She will be missed in Santa Paula also, especially by her dear friend Clyde Bulloch. In lieu of flowers, please make donations to your favorite charity in Lela’s name.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband Ira and brother-in-law Oscar. Burial services will be held Sept. 21, 2007, at Oak Grove Cemetery at 11:30 a.m. Pastor Rice, Gloria Dei Church, will officiate."

Lela Alvina Louisa BARTELS and Ira KRAMER were married on 31 March 1939 in Cedar Falls, Black Hawk County, IA.^2,40,66 Ira KRAMER was born (date unknown).