LINCOLN MIDDLE SCHOOL — Hundreds are expected to attend the memorial service of beloved educator Stephen Max Kramer on Saturday, paying homage to a man who taught them the meaning of giving something back.
Kramer, a 35-year Lincoln Middle School social studies teacher, passed away on the morning of Nov. 10. He was 63.
The service will be held at 1 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 19, at the Lincoln Auditorium, 1501 California Ave.
John Obusek, a colleague and good friend, said Kramer was a kind-hearted individual who will be greatly missed by those whose lives he touched.
“One way to describe Steve is to say he was the most caring individual you’d ever want to meet,” Obusek said.
Kramer, who often wore Hawaiian shirts, will be surrounded by others wearing the same during his service.
“Over the years, he gathered a collection of Hawaiian shirts, and it was his wife’s request that others wear them,” Obusek said.
Born in Germany in 1943, Kramer emigrated to the United States in 1948 with his family, settling in Pacific Palisades in 1951. His father was a scientist recruited to work in the U.S. following World War II.
Kramer and his wife, Bonnie, have lived in Brentwood for the past 33 years. He retired from Lincoln in 2003 and has since been enjoying life with his wife and friends, as well as spending time with his grandchildren, Max and Amara.
He is said to have savored his central role in his daughter’s wedding in August.
Kramer is survived by his wife, Bonnie, and their children, Christopher Kramer and Stephanie Bowen.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Kramer’s name to the Santa Monica-Malibu Education Foundation or the American Red Cross Hurricane Relief 2005.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on November 18, 2005. Read the original PDF.