Karen Beth Cramer

Karen Beth Cramer was born on September 7, 1949, at Harris Methodist Hospital in Fort Worth, Texas, to Judson “Jud” Arnold Cramer and Elizabeth Shawver Cramer. She passed away peacefully at her home in Granbury, Texas, on June 3, 2026.

Karen grew up in Fort Worth and graduated from Paschal High School before attending Stephens College in Columbia, Missouri, where she earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Business. She later continued her education at Dallas Community College, receiving an Associate’s Degree in Accounting along with certificates in numerous computer applications.

Karen began her professional life with a successful 12-year career in retail, serving in various buying positions for Stripling’s, D. H. Holmes, and Sanger Harris. She then spent 20 years as a manufacturer’s representative based in the Dallas Trade Mart, managing numerous houseware lines sold throughout North Texas and Oklahoma. After leaving the wholesale industry, Karen embraced two new paths: bookkeeping for Durango Doors of Fort Worth and Houston, and investing in commercial real estate, including warehouses and raw land.

Karen’s life was also marked by thoughtful and intentional philanthropy. She continued a family legacy of giving, yet very much making it her own. Karen supported causes that reflected her values, especially education and healthcare. Karen’s unwavering belief in access to high-quality care and her commitment to strengthening the health of our community will leave a lasting legacy through the future Cramer Tower at Texas Health Harris Methodist Southwest Hospital. Her abiding faith will continue to inspire all who enter the Karen Cramer Chapel at Texas Health Fort Worth, and her deep respect for caregivers will endure through the Karen Cramer Nursing Scholarship Fund. Karen was deeply proud of her family’s long legacy at Texas Wesleyan. Her grandmother, Quilla Viola Umstead Shawver, graduated in 1917 from what was then Texas Woman’s College. Her father, Judson A. Cramer HON ’79, graduated from Polytechnic High School and enrolled at Texas Wesleyan as part of the Civil Pilot Training Program before later joining the Texas Wesleyan Board of Trustees. She honored her family’s impact on education through her support of Texas Wesleyan University. A football stadium bearing her name stands as a rare and meaningful recognition.

Her commitment to service extended far beyond her professional work. Karen currently served on the Board of Trustees of Texas Wesleyan University as chairman of the advancement committee, as well as on the Foundation Board of Trustees at Texas Health Resources. She was a member of Arborlawn United Methodist Church, the Newcomers Club of Lake Granbury, the Newcomers Book Club, and Artneedle Works of Granbury. She was also a new member of the Estes Park Summer Residents Club.

Of all her roles, the one closest to her heart was serving as caretaker for her parents for eleven years. Though challenging at times, she often said that her wonderful parents made it easy to be a good daughter.

Karen is survived by her sister, Carmen Cramer; her nephew, Drew Tracy, and his wife Errica; her great-nieces, Zenith Tracy and Aliza Tracy; and her great-nephews, Tayton Tracy and Asher Tracy. She will be remembered with deep affection by each of them and her lifelong friends.

A funeral service honoring Karen’s life will be held at Arborlawn United Methodist Church in Fort Worth on June 11, 2026 at 1:30 p.m.  Interment will follow at Greenwood Memorial Park.

Karen’s life was marked by devotion - to her family, her faith, her work, and the communities she served. Her kindness, intelligence, and steadfast spirit will remain in the hearts of all who knew her.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to The Cramer Tower at Texas Health Southwest Hospital at Texas Health Resources Foundation, PO Box 200038, Arlington, TX 76006  ( Donation link );   The Karen Cramer Stadium Memorial Endowment at Texas Wesleyan University, 1201 Wesleyan Street, Fort Worth, Texas 76105; or Arborlawn United Methodist Church, 5001 Briarhaven Rd., Fort Worth, TX 76109.