Ronald G. Cramton

Ronald G. Cramton, age 73, of Detroit, Michigan, a longtime resident of Livonia, passed away on August 8, 2017. He was born October 10, 1943, in Pontiac, Michigan; son of Glenn B. and Ida E. (nee Leppanen) Cramton. He graduated from Cody High School in Detroit and continued his education at Ferris State University. Ronald was united in marriage to Julie Ann Burhans on April 18, 1980; they spent 37 loving years dedicated to each other as husband and wife. Ron was a Vietnam War time veteran, a helicopter repairman, and a die-cutter at a paper factory for over 40 years. He was all of these things and more, but none of these things explain him. They’re words people use to put people in categories, they are not the essence of his person. The best that can be shown of the essences of his life are but a few fragments that we have room for in this article. Ron never missed his son's plays, soccer games, or haunted houses. Not once, not ever. Ron had never once been sick for more than 30 years of his life. If he had the sniffles, he declared it his sinuses and kept moving. Ron, in his late sixties with a noticeable limp, saw a man as he was driving home from work who appeared to be lost and have dementia. He helped carry the man to his car and drove him around for hours until they found the correct house. He hurt himself carrying the man, but still did not miss a day of work. Ron worked at the same place with the same exact job for 43 years, without expecting one promotion, because he liked the people he worked with and the work made him happy. Ron convinced his union to threaten to go on strike if the healthcare company did not pay for the best possible surgeries for his son with a cleft palate.Ron wore funny shirts and told jokes to strangers every single day of his life. Ron was diagnosed with Alzheimer's. The doctors warned his family that he might forget them. In the more than three years he had the disease, his body forgot everything including how to swallow food. But he never forgot his family. Not once, not ever. When he was beyond speaking, beyond moving his eyes to look, when his son said, “I love you, Dad,” he said, “I love you too, Scott.” Ron Cramton was his son's hero and he and many others will miss him. His story is not of the crafty go-getter or the plucky upstart. He was not the underdog who rose up at the end. His life is the story of willpower. It’s about being the comic relief. It’s about what it takes to know how hard life can be and to help keep others going, even if that means just being a tool to help them get a little bit further and be a little happier. He is survived by his beloved wife, Julie A. Cramton, and his son, Scott. He was preceded in death by his parents and his brother, Lloyd Cramton. A time of gathering will be held Sunday, August 27, 2017, from noon until 3:00 p.m., with a memorial service at 3:00 p.m. at Casterline Funeral Home, 122 W. Dunlap, Northville. Pastor Christopher Fairbairn from St. Paul Lutheran Church will officiate the service. Ron will be laid to rest at Fort Custer National Cemetery in Augusta, Michigan. In lieu of flowers, share Ron's favorite joke. "What are four animals every woman loves? A mink in the closet A jaguar in the garage A tiger in bed And a jackass to pay for it all!"