First president of CLTS called to glory

On February 4, 2025, Rev. Dr. Howard Kramer—the first president of Concordia Lutheran Theological Seminary (CLTS) in St. Catharines, Ontario—was called to glory, having celebrated his 100th birthday in June of 2024.

After graduating from Concordia Seminary (St. Louis) in 1948, Dr. Kramer went on to teach at Concordia College (Ann Arbor, Michigan) and, in 1984, accepted the position of CLTS President, serving until his retirement win 1990.

In a release, CLTS shared:

“Dr. Kramer’s legacy lives on not only through the countless students he taught and mentored over his 24 years in higher education but also through the ministry of three of CLTS’s current professors. Dr. Winger, Dr. Kellerman, and Dr. Korcok were all taught by Dr. Kramer at Concordia College, Ann Arbor, with Dr. Winger and Dr. Korcok studying under him at CLTS.”

Current CLTS President, Rev. Dr. Thomas Winger, reflects on Dr. Kramer’s influence on the seminary:

“He carried on the foundational work of Dean Humann by strengthening our ties with Brock University, increasing financial support, and calling the great faculty members that taught us in the late ’80s and ’90s. He took a keen interest in all of us, which continued long after he left St. Catharines.” 

Dr. Kramer and his wife, Valerie (who was called to glory in 2020), had four children, 13 grandchildren, and 14 great-grandchildren. Dr. Kramer’s full obituary can be found here.

A funeral service was held on February 8 at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Des Peres, Missouri. The family encouraged memorial gifts be made to St. Paul’s Lutheran Church (Des Peres, MO), to Kramer scholarship funds at Concordia Lutheran Theological Seminary (St. Catharines) or Concordia University (Ann Arbor).

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