Ruthanne "Rutti" W. Cramer died peacefully at home in Lawton, OK, on the 29th of May, 2024, at the age of 96. A celebration of her life will be held at 12 noon on Thursday, June 13, 2024, at Holy Family Catholic Church, 1010 NW 82nd Street, Lawton. A burial will follow at Post Cemetery, Fort Sill. A rosary service will be held on Wednesday, June 12, 2024, at 6pm at Becker-Rabon Funeral Home Chapel, 1502 Fort Sill Boulevard, Lawton. The family will greet friends following the rosary. Rutti requested attendees not dress in dark mourning colors, and instead dress in bright colors to celebrate her life.

The service at the church may be viewed by following the livestream link at www.beckerfuneral.com or by visiting the Becker-Rabon Funeral Home Facebook page.

Rutti Cramer was born on May 3, 1928, in Kalama, Washington, to Harold H. and Christine E. (Eden) Watkins as the oldest of three children. She attended schools in Kalama and finished high school at the Forest Ridge School of the Sacred Heart Academy in Seattle, WA. She then married Robert G. Cramer, the love of her life, on May 10, 1947, in Kalama's historic St. Joseph's Catholic Church after his graduation from the US Military Academy at West Point and completion of his Officer Basic training. They had known each other since Bob was four years old and Rutti two years old. The union was blessed with seven children.

As an Army wife, Rutti followed Bob, a US Army Field Artilleryman, around the world for the 30 years of his service: Fukuoka, Japan; Fort Bliss, TX; Fort Lewis, WA: Fairbanks, AK; Monterrey, CA; Carlisle, PA; Honolulu, HI; and Fort Monroe, VA. She lived in Washington and at Fort Sill during his three combat tours in Vietnam. Their final tour was at Fort Sill, where Rutti served the community with energy and skill as the post's Chief of Staff's wife.

Rutti was the quintessential Army wife— an outstanding community volunteer and leader while rearing her children and following her soldier from post to post. She provided her time and talents to several wives' club boards and served as board advisors; in the Red Cross, Army Community Services, and PTA; and as a Cub Scout leader, teacher of catechism, and President of the Catholic Guild. She also served as the coffee group leader of the Fort Sill Commanding General's staff wives for four years, responsible for overseeing and recruiting volunteers for post organizations and nonprofits.

After Bob's retirement in 1976, she was a member of the Fort Sill Catholic Chapel Choir for 20 years and served as the Chairman of Funeral Dinners for Holy Family Catholic Church for 13 years, she was President of the Fort Sill Ladies Golf Association plus in other golf board positions for ten years. Other volunteer work included service on the Lawton-Fort Sill Salvation Army Board for many years and in the mid-1970's, Rutti served four years on the Board of the Lawton Voluntary Action Center (VAC) that recruited volunteers for civic organizations.

Rutti co-founded the Military Officers Association of America (MOAA) Auxiliary in 2003, serving as the first President for three years, and then on the Auxiliary Board of Directors for eight more years. She also was a co-founder of the Military Welcome Center at the Lawton-Fort Sill Regional Airport, providing services for thousands of military and their family members traveling to and from Fort Sill annually. The Military Welcome Center received recognition for outstanding community service from Lawton-Fort Sill and nationally from MOAA. In 2006 Rutti co-founded and was the leader of the "Ditzy Dozen," a group of 12 Army widows who support each other and traditionally go out to dinner on Sunday nights.

Rutti was awarded two Molly Pitcher Medals in 1971 and 1976 from Commanding Generals of Fort Sill for selfless contributions to the Field Artillery Community. In 2014, she was recognized by the Association of the US Army's Lawton-Fort Sill Soldier-Family Council for her outstanding community service in multiple organizations with a banquet gala and a statue of Saint Barbara, the Patron Saint of the US Army and Marine Field Artillery and the Air Defense Artillery.

As a natural "people person," Rutti was an accomplished realtor for 15 years, earning the designation as a "Million Dollar Realtor."  After Bob's retirement from the Army in 1976, Rutti and Bob traveled widely in Europe, the Caribbean, Mediterranean, Baltic, Panama Canal, and several Nordic countries.

Those who knew Rutti best, knew that she was not a complainer. She was a survivor!  There was something in her character that not only handled adversity, but actually punched it in the nose. Throughout her life she faced various hardships including the death of a newborn girl, a bout with cancer, and being widowed for 22 years. She refused to let hard circumstances define the quality of her life. She found purpose in investing herself in her family, her friends, her faith, and the causes she believed in. There was a time several years ago after an accident, when a Doctor was doing a particularly painful procedure on her. He was very concerned that he was hurting her. Rutti assured him, "Don't worry Doctor. I am an army wife and I've raised six kids. I'm tough!"  And she really was…. the perfect mix of tough and tender! Rutti was an incredible mother, grandmother and great grandmother of her family. She cared deeply and worried often about her children, their children and their children's children.  Her love extended to many others who she mothered as well.

As a strong Christian, devoted wife, mother and grandmother, energetic community volunteer, dear and giving friend to many and kind to all, Rutti Cramer's life was well lived. Many, many will miss her.

Rutti was predeceased by her husband of 55 years who died in 2002, one daughter at birth, her parents, both sets of grandparents, both brothers, David and Richard (Mike) Watkins, and a son-in-law Darrell Wallraven.

Survivors include six children: LTC (USA, Retired) Robert (Rob) G. Cramer, Jr., Dumfries, VA; Christine (Christie) Wallraven, Little Rock, AR; Thomas (Tom) H. and Mary Ellen Cramer, Jackson, MO; Mark H. and Lynn Cramer, Centennial, CO; Mary E. (Beth) Cramer of the home; and John C. and Sheryl Cramer, Lawton, OK; 15 grandchildren: Robert G. Cramer III,  Seattle, WA; William Cramer, Dumfries, VA; Colin Cramer, Astoria, NY; Justin and Gladice Wallraven, Allen, TX; Megan (Wallraven) and Justin Graddy, Cabot, AR; Wade and Priya Cramer, Tulsa, OK; Ceridwen and Candice Cramer, Baltimore, MD; Seth Cramer, Cape Girardeau, MO; Rachel (Cramer) and Taylor Ericson, Aurora, CO; Corrin Cramer and Alec Hernandez, Highlands Ranch, CO; Thaddeus Rhea, Texas; Christopher and Courtney Rhea, Washington, MO; Allison (Rhea) and Andrew Shead, St. Charles, MO; Kenneth and Krista Cramer, Lawton, OK; Brandon Cramer and Misty Spencer, Lawton, OK; 14 great grandchildren: Ethan Wallraven, Carson Cook, Corporal Gabriel Young, Jaci and Ty Searcy and baby Theo, Henry Young, Elizabeth Ruthanne Shead, Eva Camille Shead, Lily Anne Rhea, Cameron Cramer, Collin Fallon, Kaci Cramer, Natalie Cramer, Jeremiah Jenkins, Spencer Cramer; and one sister-in-law, Patricia Watkins; two nieces, Chrissie and husband Christopher Allen and Michelle Watkins; and three cousins, Ann Watkins Nina Rose Snyder, and Mary Granger.

The family sends a special thank you to Dr. Daniel Garrison of Lawton, OK, who changed the quality of her final season of life by his kindness.

In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made in the memory of Ruthanne Cramer to Holy Family Catholic Church, 1010 NW 82nd Street, Lawton, OK 73505, or the Military Welcome Center, Lawton Fort Sill Regional Airport, 3401 SW 11th Street, Box 5 Lawton, OK 73501.