Ernestine “Ernie” Loretta Kramp, 93, of Conde, SD, passed away Monday, May 22, 2023, at Mother Joseph Manor, Aberdeen.

   Mass of Christian Burial will be at 2:00 p.m. on Friday, July 14, 2023, at the All Saints Catholic Church, Mellette, SD, with Father John Short officiating. Visitation will be one hour before Mass at the church. Following Mass, there will a time of fellowship with ice cream and bars at the church.

   A private family burial will be at St. John’s the Baptist Catholic Cemetery in Conde, SD.

   Schriver’s Memorial Mortuary and Crematory, 414 5^th Avenue NW, Aberdeen, is in charge of arrangements.  Family and friends may sign the online guestbook at www.schriversmemorial.com.

   Ernestine Loretta Kramp was born November 29, 1929, to Ernest and Frances (Waldenberger) Frericks in Aberdeen, SD. She grew up on a farm near Mellette, SD, with her two younger sisters, Eva and Frances. The three of them enjoyed playing with the farm animal and helping their father on the farm. Ernestine remembered following the railroad track as she walked to school with her sisters. She was a graduate of Mellette High School in 1947 and then graduated from Presentation College with a degree in nursing in 1950.

   On September 9, 1950, Ernestine was united in marriage to Kenneth Edward Kramp in Mellete. The couple made their home on a farm east of Brentford, SD, and Ernie worked as a nurse until they started expanding her family. She accepted her new career as a mother of six and homemaker and excelled at it, along with helping Kenneth on the farm with chores and taking care of their cattle, chickens, and pigs. They continued to make the farm their home until Kenneth passed away in 2010. She eventually moved to Davis Court and then to Mother Joseph Manor where she resided until her passing.

   Ernie was a long-time member of St. John’s The Baptist Catholic Church and was a member of the Altar Society. She enjoyed visiting with neighbors and being part of community card clubs. She supported her family and many grandchildren with cards.

   Ernestine will be remembered as a woman who knew no stranger and could be friends with anyone. Her warm smile and infectious laugh would welcome anyone into a conversation. She listened from the heart and had the ability to remember the smallest detail to help people feel valued. She loved to feed people and “no one ever left the table feeling hungry.” Grandchildren could always find her famous sugar cookies in the jar by the fridge or a special treat in her Gramma “candy stash. She was always at her kids’ and grandkids’ events. She put others before herself and was truly a kind and generous person.

   In her free time, Ernie loved to read. She loved books and magazines, her favorite being Reader’s Digest and also dabbled in embroidery. One of her favorite pastimes was talking to friends and family on the phone.

   Ernie’s nursing classmates from 1950 made it a point to get together once a month to catch up. They enjoyed going to lunch and dinner together and attended many plays, especially the “world-famous” Stratford plays.

   Blessed to have shared Ernestine‘s life are her children: Deborah (Dick) Lester, daughter-in-law Laura Kramp, Mary (Steven) Swanhorst, Paul (Nancy) Kramp, Pat (Vickie) Kramp, and Susan (John) Hammer; thirteen grandchildren; and twenty-nine great-grandchildren.

   Ernestine was preceded in death by her parents, Ernest and Frances; husband, Kenneth; son, Todd; and sisters: Eva and Frances.

   Her family wishes to thank the staff at Mother Joseph Manor, who took care of Ernestine with great love and kindness.

   Memorials may be sent to the family at 39806 SD Hwy 20, Conde, SD, 57434, for the benefit of the St. John’s the Baptist Catholic Cemetery in Conde.