Patricia A. Kramer

In 1886, Simeon Bardsley left Stockport, England to arrive on US shores near Philadelphia in Pennsylvania.  Fifty years later on a cold December morning, Patricia Ann Bardsley arrived in a small hospital in Quakertown, the first of her family not born at home.  Her older brother Howard, mostly known as Sonny, awaited her homecoming with their Grammom and Aunt Ginny, who lived next door on the family farm on Bardsley road.  Nicknamed Patsy by her mother, she roamed freely between Grammom's farm and her house.  A large garden with a small grove of apple trees separated the two homes and often Sonny was found working in the garden.  Weekends, when Aunt Ginny wasn't working at the US Gauge, she would take Patsy for nature walks in Ingraham's Woods.  Later, when Nancy Jane was old enough, she joined them.  These were the war years and both her mom and dad had jobs at Lutz Pants factory in Sellersville.  A month after Patsy turned six, Nancy Jane was born and their family was complete. Nancy arrived in late January and quite possibly they all thought of baby Charlotte who was stillborn and died in January of 1934.  Throughout these early years one thing stands out in all the family photos-Patsy's dazzling smile, both joyful and mischievous at the same time. Between church and school, early childhood was a happy time.  Patsy's first unrequited love when she was fourteen didn't last long, but Dwight Edward Tuttle made a lasting impression on both her and Nancy both.  He had a John Deere tractor and chased Nancy down their dirt road.

Little changed for the family until the early fifties when her parents made a decision that would change everything-separation, leading to divorce.  With a family divided Sonny and Patsy remained with their dad on Bardsley Road while Nancy and their mother moved to North Wales to begin a new chapter.  It wasn't long before the North Wales family added two new members-a stepfather, Frank and an adopted baby, Gary.

Back in Sellersville change was also coming to the family home on Bardsley Road.  A new stepmother, Mary, joined the family and at this point in time well into her senior year at Sel-Perk, later renamed Pennridge High School, Patsy decided to go and live with her mother.  It remains a mystery for all of us, including her, why she left school with only a few months until graduation, but fifty years later she was invited to the class reunion!

It was here in North Wales that Patsy met her future when she met Paul Kramer.  But first another move to Schwab Road opened doorways for new friends Faith Lick and Lois Kuhns.  Patsy also discovered a joy in working and Bell Telephone in Lansdale provided employment. The railroad tracks were a direct line between where she lived and the telephone office building, so she and friend Faith walked together to work.  She remained here as an international switchboard operator until her first child arrived in 1956.  Many years later at a Sunday church service she reunited with the woman who trained her as an operator.  They remembered one another fondly.

In 1954, Paul Kramer courted her and they wed in August of that year.  It was a small church wedding and Nancy was on hand to direct Patsy's long veil so it didn't catch on the pews as Patsy moved to the altar on the arm of her stepfather, Frank.

Paul lived on the other end of Schwab Road in a farmhouse with his parents.  Land tracts parceled for $125 each dotted the roadside and four brother's built homes and families alongside one another.  The land ran out before Paul married and the newlyweds moved to the Alderfer farmhouse in Red Hill to begin their family.  A daughter and son, Patricia and Paul Jr, added to the family and by the beginning of 1960, they needed more space for the arrival of Timothy.

Noah Kramer, Dad's grandfather, passed and Dad bought his parcel for $5500.  This included a bare-bones tiny house, previously a produce stand moved to the land, and a huge workshop for Noah's clock and furniture business.  Noah built several of the surrounding homes adjacent to Schwab Road and was a well-known carpenter and clockmaker.  As the family moved in a bathroom was added and  Timmy arrived earlier than expected.  His birth had complications and it took awhile for the family to rebalance, settle and embrace their new home and life on Schwab Road.

Two years later Lori joined the family and within two more years Lynn was born.  By now the tiny house was bursting with children and an upstairs addition brought relief along with more room to grow.  For several years life was cozy with aunts, uncles and cousins to share the seasons and family moved freely between houses.  Almost always, Sundays saw the family at the farmstead around the big kitchen table.   Help was always available when needed, but this also meant everyone knew everyone's business.

Patsy's health and stamina remained strong except for a bout with hepatitis while the children were young. Timing of this is foggy, but she recovered swiftly and took up the reins of motherhood once again.  She strived to be a helpful partner to Paul and sometimes it worked well.  A few times it backfired.  Once Paul leaned over to start the push mower and she leaned in to watch him only to connect with his fist on his backswing.  Another time they were painting the house together and she fell from the ladder breaking her arm.  Paul was not happy for a variety of reasons.  Nor was he happy when she vigorously cleaned the sliding glass doors.  They sparkled, gleamed and the house shook when he went to walk right through them.  An early morning April Fool's joke had Patsy laughing and Paul fuming.  His car was his pride and joy.  That morning, while handing him fresh coffee, she told him she saw a scratch on the car door and wondered what happened to cause it?  As he rushed outside in the early dawn light, she leaned out and shouted 'April Fool's!'  There was that dazzling mischievous smile, but it didn't last long that day.

She loved to play as much as the kids and summer rain showers brought her outside in bare feet to dip in the puddles.  Water balloons brought great fun as well.

These were the happy years.

With five children and Paul working two jobs to 'make ends meet', Patsy started to wonder how she could contribute to the family in a more meaningful way.  By 1970, a job opportunity arrived in Clemens Market and after fourteen years of motherhood, Patsy embraced the change and a shortening of her name to Pat.  Her new freedom brought changes for all of the family, including the bigger Schwab Road circle of aunts and uncles.  She became the first Kramer woman to leave the family circle and pioneer the way toward better financial security for her growing brood.

As Clemens Market expanded and grew, Pat grew with them and they became her work family.  With her drivers license, a shared car with dad and working nights, her world took on a new rhythm outside of the family unit.  She moved to a new Clemens store in mid 1971, while home life on Schwab Road began to slowly unravel.  Ultimately, she left to forge her own independent way in a small apartment flanked by two daughters.

Divorce, an easy word today, was not an easy process back then and shredded all seven of the people involved in early 1974.  Being both observers and participants of this life chapter was not easy for her five children, but this is mom's story and not ours. She truly was a pioneer in her time and showed great courage in honoring her dreams.

Eventually Pat thrived in her expanding world with many new friends and opportunities along the way.  In 1978, Lori gave birth to Richard Christian and Pat dedicated the next four years to assisting Lori in raising Chris to a toddler.  Once Lori married, Pat embraced traveling and a new life chapter arrived.  Lynn's North Penn band competitions opened a doorway and Pat stepped through it.  She traveled with her mother and friend Betty, even as far as Florida….and always with a cowbell they rang so loudly that it was heard out on the field.

In 1988, sister Nancy returned to the east coast permanently and Pat flew to California where they launched a cross country trip back east.  They created many memories along the way.

Then in 1991, Pat and Nancy's mother died and Frank joined Nancy's household briefly before settling permanently with Pat in Hilltown until his death.

A few years later, in 1998, she arrived in Europe and experienced England and Germany, along with a ride on the autobahn in Frankfurt (cant recall city)

Back in the states, also in 1998, Clemens awarded her employee of the year and four years later, in 2002, retirement arrived with accolades for thirty-two years of loyalty to the company.

Around this time, she made her final move into safety and security at Lynn's home in Lansdale.  In return, Lynn gleaned a lot of homecare habits that are still in use, including pegging laundry on outside lines for air drying.  Pat still irons her clothing, but its a very different process from the early 1960's.  Clothes were wringer washed and rinsed, hung on outside lines, brought in when dry and sprinkled, rolled up and tucked into the refrigerator until ironing time.

Turning 80 was a milestone and many family members and friends arrived to share in the celebration.  The last twenty-four years have brought great joy into her life as grandchildren and great grandchildren visit her now at Lynn's.  Babies are introduced and held in her arms and there it is-that dazzling smile!

She's called Pat, mom, nana and gi-gi.  These days she can be found tucked in a blanket on her reclining chair with her dearest companion Peanut, Lynn's Jack Russell terrier, phone at her side.

Funeral services are private and are under the direction of Huff & Lakjer Funeral Home, Lansdale, PA.