David Joseph Kraemer 1939 - 2025

Heaven called to Dave Kraemer on Sunday, January 5, 2025, while vacationing with his wife in the Hawaiian Islands.

David (Dave) Joseph Kraemer was born August 3, 1939, to Anthony and Clara (Fessler) Kraemer of Mount Angel, Oregon. Dave and his seven siblings grew up on the family farm in Mount Angel. There was no such thing as a lazy day on the farm, but Dave had such fond memories of the shenanigans with his brothers, cousins, and friends around Mount Angel. Dave attended St. Mary’s Public School and graduated in 1957 from Mount Angel Preparatory School.

Dave married Joanne (Pirkl) on January 27, 1968, at St. James Church in Molalla, Oregon. Directly after their wedding, Dave and Joanne moved to McMinnville, Oregon, and bought their lifelong business, Kraemer’s Garden Center, and raised their family. The business started as a small produce market and is still thriving today some 57 years later in the same location operated by their son, Karl Kraemer, and his family. Dave was a very meticulous business person, never using a computer but preferring to use his ledger books instead. He was a founding member of the NNBA (Northwest Nursery Buyers Association) back in 1983. Today, this association consists of about 125 independently owned family garden centers across the Pacific Northwest. He was a true entrepreneur and an amazing businessman.

Throughout 56 years of marriage, Dave and Joanne shared a deep love for their Catholic faith and have been members of St. James Catholic Church in McMinnville for their entire marriage. Dave was also a long-time Knights of Columbus member here. They both enjoyed traveling to all 50 states, as well as traveling to many overseas destinations, including their last European trip in 2022 to Poland, Czechoslovakia, and Germany with Father Zani. In Germany, they saw the Passion Play that is held once every 10 years. During the past few years, Dave and Joanne’s travels were closer to home, and they enjoyed the warm sunshine in their Arizona home and an annual trip to the Hawaiian Islands.

Dave enjoyed hunting with his sons and brothers on numerous trips throughout Oregon, Canada, and Alaska. In the great outdoors, Dave’s pride and joy would be the property he owned and tended since his kids were very young – family and friends know this as “High Heaven," a place where we could all gather for picnics, fish in the stocked pond, or play in the water. Dave especially loved to gather here with his grandkids and prided in driving them around the property to point out his handiwork.

Dave is survived by Joanne, his loving wife of 56 years (just shy of 57 years); brother, Alan Kraemer; sister, Shirley Petersen; four children and their spouses, Diane (Curt) Shenk, Lynn (Randy) Reeves, Bert (Kristy) Kraemer, and Karl (Kim) Kraemer; along with eight grandchildren; and one great-grandchild. He was predeceased by his parents, Anthony and Clara Kraemer; sisters, Virgene Stafford, Sr. Eileen Kraemer, Lorayne Zimmerman, and Joyce Basl; and brother, Harold Kraemer.

A life well lived! Services will be held Friday, January 31, 2025, at St. James Catholic Church in McMinnville, beginning with the Rosary at 10:30 a.m. and Funeral Mass at 11. A reception will follow.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to St. James Catholic School, McMinnville, Oregon.

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