Betty Joan Kramer

Betty Joan Kramer, the daughter of newly arrived Hungarian immigrants, was born in New York City on August 26, 1941. She died on November 12, 2020, in the bed she shared with her husband Joel for 56 years. He, and their children were at her bedside when she passed away.

Educated in Baltimore City public schools, Betty attended the University of Maryland School of Nursing until her experiences on the hospital wards convinced her to change course. She became the secretary to a professor at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, through whose office every medical student passed each morning to pick up his or her assignments for the day. This afforded her the opportunity to pick from a parade of future doctors until she found the right guy, accepted his proposal, and married him on April 12, 1964, making him a lucky fellow indeed. Joel's education and military service, took the young couple from Baltimore to New York, Atlanta, Miami, and finally, in what can only be a stroke of remarkable luck, Tallahassee, Florida, in 1971, where they settled with three small children in tow.

They leased a small space in the corner of an abandoned office building, painted the walls, purchased a partially burned desk and chair for ten dollars from a fire sale and opened up shop. Betty worked beside her husband for 35 years as secretary and office manager. In the early years, most patients did not know they were husband and wife, and from the closeness witnessed in the office, assumed she was having a long running affair with the doctor, which of course she was. With natural warmth, matched only by a grand smile and an infectious laugh, Betty enjoyed cooking, playing cards, movies, mystery novels, and best of all, many dear friends. In her last 25 years, she and Joel travelled the world, many of their experiences well documented in pictures adorning the walls in their home.

She is survived by, and her memory cherished by her husband, Joel; and her children, Michael (Ansley), David (Ashley), and Alyce (Edward); as well as seven grandchildren, Clara, Maxwell, Nathan, Katie, Ella, Macy and Samuel.

Betty was a fountain of warmth, love, and joy to all who had the privilege of knowing her. She will be deeply missed.

Gifts, in memory of Betty, can be made to Temple Israel, or Big Bend Hospice.