Wyley "Gene" Cramer

Wyley E. “Gene” Cramer was born August 5, 1935 in Enid, OK to W. Wyley and Rachel (Isaman) Cramer. He graduated from Garber High School in 1953. He attended Oklahoma A&M College School of Technical Training in Okmulgee, OK. While in Okmulgee, he met Verna Potter. They married June 25, 1955. Upon graduation, Gene joined the US Navy and served four years as an electrician with the Construction Battalion “Seabees”. The Navy sent Gene and Verna to Japan right after he completed his initial entry and qualification training. At the end of Gene’s service obligation, they returned to Oklahoma where they lived the rest of their lives. Gene started out with Southwestern Bell as a telephone installer in the Oklahoma City area. After 35 years and the break-up of Bell System, he retired from AT&T in Fort Smith, AR as a teletype repairman in 1989. After a short career as a self-employed telecommunications contractor, he and Verna moved to Okmulgee where Gene returned to school, got his CLEET certification and went to work as a security guard for University Center of Tulsa. He continued his education by attending college part-time to earn his Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice and finally retired as a security guard from Oklahoma State University-Okmulgee. Gene is preceded in death by his parents and his wife. He is survived by his brother Alva Ray and Bonnie Cramer of Illinois; sister Laretta Back of Billings, OK; daughter Teresa Herbert of Fort Sill, OK; daughter Kathy and husband Bret Lackey of Okmulgee; and son Peter of Stringtown, OK. He has five grandchildren and eight great grandchildren. Visitation will be Sunday, October 22 at McClendon-Winters Funeral Home in Okmulgee, OK from 2:00-4:00 pm. Funeral services will be held on Monday, October 23rd at 10:00 A.M. at The Church of Christ, 318 S. Grand Avenue, Okmulgee, OK. Burial will be 2:00 P.M., Monday, at the Garber Cemetery in Garber, OK. Arrangements have been entrusted to the McClendon-Winters Funeral Home of Beggs. Memories, condolences, photos and videos may be shared with the family on Gene’s Tribute Page of our website at www.mcclendon-winters.com

Wyley "Gene" Cramer

August 5, 1935 - October 18, 2017