Erika Therese Cranmer's Obituary
Erika’s work on earth was completed August 21, 2015. Her Lord and Savior called her home that morning with the American Flag in view from the window nearby. To try and summarize her amazing life would take another life time to tell the tale.
Erika was born in Munich Germany in 1925. Her young years witnessed the tragedy of WWII that took over her birthplace and developed her strong spirit of survival that never left her. She had a strong love for her grandfather, her foster parents and a fiancé that was killed in action fighting for Germany.
In 1948, she married a US Soldier, Samuel Wright and came to the United State of America under the War Bride Act. She traveled via ship and arrived in New York harbor in December of that same year and eventually settled in Washington State. This marriage eventually ended and Erika married her second husband, Robert Edward Cranmer in 1955.
Her love for her new country was strong as Erika became a naturalized citizen in 1951 and registered to vote that same year. She never missed speaking her voice through the election process. Erika’s name resides in the Pierce County’s Voter’s Hall of Fame. Erika was often heard to say, “If you can say you live in America then you can speak my name which is Erika.” Erika was very proud of her service to her country via her years as a Civil Servant. Her final position of 39 years before retirement was Chief of Stockfund with the 9th Finance Support Unit, Fort Lewis WA. Her passion for numbers shown in her accuracy to always keep the numbers balanced.
Upon retirement, Erika became fully active in partisan politics, again proving her love for America. She tenaciously worked as the treasurer for many Republican groups, as a volunteer representative in the Washington State Fair booth for the party and as an election extra hire with Pierce County. Again her love of accounting was shown to insure all ballots counts for her polling place were balanced and accurate before being turned in.
The only thing Erika loved more that her county is her Lord and Savior. Erika dedicated time in her retirement to insure that Tillicum Baptist Church was always welcoming with flowers. For years her best friend, Janet Garrison, joined her each week in caring for this ministry.
Erika was the leader and patriarch of her family and leaves a hole that only the love of our Lord can fill. She is proceeded in death by both spouses and her two sons, Robert Emory Cranmer and Thomas Wright. Erika is survived by her daughter, Karen (Michael) Hague, her granddaughter, Krystal (Jesse) Chiarolla, her grandson Todd (Cat) Seesz and 7 other grandchildren and many great-grandchildren. Her great granddaughter, Annie was the apple of her eye and Annie misses her Oma very much.
A celebration of life will be held at 2 PM, October 10th, 2015 at Tillicum Baptist Church, 8415 Maple St SW, Lakewood WA. In lieu of flowers, the family has requested that donations be made to Tillicum Baptist Church and earmarked for the Fire Restoration Project. Erika was quite saddened by the loss of the church’s parsonage and prayed for a way to help. In her final days this was her request and Erika prayed that each giver to her final wish receive a thousand blessings from the Lord in return for honoring her last earthly task.
What’s your fondest memory of Erika?
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Share a story where Erika's kindness touched your heart.
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