Blanche Kramer, a former mathematics teacher at the Melvin J. Berman Hebrew Academy, died Sunday, Oct. 13 at the age of 97.
Mrs. Kramer was born in New York City on Aug. 29, 1916, and lived most of her life in New York and Silver Spring. She had a degree in government from Brooklyn College. She was a valued member of Temple Israel, Tifereth Israel Congregation and Congregation Har Tzeon-Agudath Achim.
Former student Tammy Berman remembers her well. “She had a warm smile, lots of patience and red hair.” She needed patience, Berman recalled, because “some of the kids were taller than her.”
“She was just brilliant. I learned so much from her,” said Berman, who was in Kramer’s math class in both eighth and ninth grades during 1963-1965.
“I remember her so vividly, so foundly,” Berman said, although she hasn’t seen her teacher in close to 50 years. “I owe her a lot.”
Mrs. Kramer will be remembered for the independence and strength of spirit she developed as a child growing up and working in her parent’s grocery store during the Great Depression. She was an avid walker who enjoyed traveling.
She is said to have lived for her family and will be greatly missed by one and all.
Mrs. Kramer was predeceased by her husband, Reuben Kramer, and sibling Bernard Fishman, and is survived by her daughter Iris Kramer; her son and daughter-in-law Kenneth and Mary Ellen Kramer; her sister, Lee Sweet; her granddaughter Danielle Kramer; her grandson, David Kramer and his wife Jeanne Kramer; and her great-grandson, Ethan Kramer.
Funeral arrangements were by Danzansky-Goldberg Memorial Chapels. Contributions can be made to Hadassah.
