Bruce Cameron Cramer

Bruce Cameron Cramer passed away on May 19, 2025 at the age of 85 at home in North Port, Florida with family by his side. Born in Glens Falls, New York on April 20,1940 to Leona Pritchard and Fred Nelson Cramer, he was raised by his beloved grandmother, Clara Mason Cramer in West Pawlet, VT from birth until age 5 when he returned to the family farm just down the road. He would forever think of himself as a “simple farmer from Vermont,” yet his life reached far beyond the small town that shaped him as his life grew to include rich friendships, adventurous travel, and experiences that expanded his view of the world and his place in it.

Bruce learned at a young age the importance of hard work, a value he was passionate about throughout his life. He worked on the family farm and mowed lawns as a teenager, taking only one day off every two weeks. His hard work, reluctance to part with a dollar, and scarcity of ways to spend money earned him the nickname “Cash” in high school, a sentiment he enjoyed throughout most of his life. He admittedly didn’t enjoy barn work ,but loved field work and had many good memories of boiling sap to make maple syrup, making nearly 600 gallons of syrup the last time he boiled in 1960. Following graduation from Albany Business School, he began his career in the accounting department of Telescope Furniture where he went on to become an independent sales representative for four decades.  In 1966, he married his wife, Patsy Huddleston. Together they raised their three daughters in the house where he had lived with his grandmother during his early childhood and where Patsy resides today.

He was the consummate tinkerer and fixer-of-things, self-taught electrician, avid reader, and collector of historical artifacts. He played an active role in making his small town a vibrant community - as a lively presence at the annual West Pawlet Fire Department Carnival where he operated the craps table wearing a variety of distinctive hats each summer, helping Patsy plant flowers around the West Pawlet monument each spring, and for many years, driving his impeccably restored 1932 Ford Model B in town parades.

In 1996, Bruce retired and moved to Florida where he built a life filled with friendship and community. He was a member of the SunCoast Metropolitan Community Church, enjoyed theater, operas, cooking dinner for friends, and riding his Honda Gold Wing motorcycles. He enjoyed travels to China, Egypt, South Africa, Kenya, Peru (the Amazon), Europe, the United Kingdom, Mexico and a few trips to visit his grandchildren in California. More than anything, he enjoyed the company of his many Boxer dogs of which there were many over the years -Stubby, Biff(s), Abby, Betty, Elky, Mongo, and Big Boy.

Bruce was predeceased by grandparents Jim and Clara Mason Cramer, parents Leona and Fred Nelson Cramer, stepmother Marion Cramer, brother James Robin Cramer, stepbrother Don Keyworth, niece Cindy Collard, and nephew Nelson John Cramer. He is survived by his former wife Patsy, three daughters Clara (Chris), Rebecca (Robert), and Amy (Scott); grandchildren Emma and Aengus (Gus) McGaraghan, Ava Witt, and Lara Cramer-Ekeberg; nieces, nephews and cousins, and partner Dennis Geoghegan.

A graveside service will be held at the West Pawlet cemetery on August 9th.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that those who wish to honor his memory consider a donation to Boxer Rescue Angels of Florida, Inc.