By Joe Jarosz
Northeast News
October 1, 2014

KANSAS CITY, Missouri – For years, Nancy Cramer and her husband owned a business in the Northeast.

Her husband ran Modern Supply until he passed away in 1994. For 17 years, Cramer then ran the store, which sold fire extinguishers and restaurant equipment, before retiring in 2011. Before she turned her attention to the business, Cramer was a teacher.

During her time as a business owner, and still to this day, Cramer, now 83, got involved with the Northeast Kansas City Chamber of Commerce, serving as president twice before settling in her role as secretary.

Since retiring, she’s dedicated more time to World War I. First, Cramer became a volunteer at the National World War I Museum. She was asked to design a curriculum for the museum for visiting students. When she wrote more than the museum needed, she turned the leftover curriculum into books. When all is said and done, she’ll have five books published. Two are already available, and she’s currently writing the third. Before Cramer started volunteering at the museum, she admits she didn’t know much about World War I.

“Didn’t know anything about it other than it took place,” Cramer quipped. “I didn’t even know my own grandfather was in the Army, but didn’t fight in World War I because he had family.”

Also involving the great war, Cramer has written two children’s books. The main characters of both books are dogs during the war. Cramer said the books are meant to be read with children, to get them familiar early with World War I.

“I write because I enjoy writing and because my main purpose is to make World War I more available to people of all ages and all reading abilities,” Cramer said, adding people who’ve picked up her book have told her it is wonderful. “I do a lot of research and I check and re-check.”

The next two books Cramer is working on are not children’s books. They involve interviews with almost 100 families who had a relative in World War I. She admits she thought she was going to have trouble finding sources, but more people kept offering to help. The books don’t just involve interviews, but also describe the roles people played and the weapons that were used.

The next book should be available within the next month, quickly followed by another two months later. In the mean time, she said she’s been editing a book about how the Serbian government went into exile in 1916 and maintained its nation until the end of the war. She said she will also help the author raise money to self-publish the book, as well.

If you’re interested in reading one of Cramer’s books, you can call her at 816-265-0113 or e-mail her at nancycramer@yahoo.com to purchase a copy.