checking in with the Kremers

Ray Kremer was the very first of the many, many, many Kremers to work at Frost Valley. We think that Marie Kremer (the matriarch of the clan) was the second to work here - as a cook, at first, then office manager. Others came along too, quickly: Charlie Jr., Margaret, Ann Marie, Charles Sr., Andy, and John (did I miss any?). I've written about the Kremers variously in this blog over the years, so search for "Kremer" in the searchbox at right or click the keyword/label below - for much more about them.

Anyway, Ray is at left in the photo above. Along with Bob Eddings and me. Ray and Meg Kremer (Meg, Ray's wife, also worked at FV) joined Jerry and Patti and several dozen other neighbors and FV staffers at a belated July 4 party on the evening of July 10 - camp's decided-upon date for celebrating independence day with the annual "Small World" carnival (featuring booths on countries represented by our international counselors), an evening stage show, and fireworks shot over the lake.

It was great to see Ray, now 65 years old and long retired. He and Meg have built a cabin on the Kremer family property at the end of the Frost Valley road (country road 47) in Claryville.

Charles Kremer (1914-2009)

Charles Kremer died on May 21 at the age of 95. The photograph here was taken on his 90th birthday at the Kremer home in Claryville. Here is a statement made by Charles' son John:

It is with a sad heart that I must write to inform you and the rest of the FV community of the recent death of my father, Charles J. Kremer; patriarch of the Kremer family, who provided many years of service to Frost Valley, spanning three generations. As you know, both of my parents, me, and all six of my siblings have work at FV over the years. That association is also responsible for the addition of three in-laws to the family!

After his retirement from the corporate world, my father found distraction from his life of leisure by briefly working in the maintenance department. He participated in the winterization of the early cabins and the first expansion of the old Thomas Lodge dining hall when Hemlock lounge, rest rooms and an enlarged kitchen were added. Our family has lived full-time in Claryville since 1972, but has summered in the area since the 50’s.

My father was a gracious man, quiet by nature, kind in sprit, and loving to his family and community. He was an ordinary man shaped by extraordinary times, and I think my brother Andy summed it up best when he said he will always be remember as the soul of our family just as our mother is the heart.

He died on May 21 in Minnesota, comforted by my mother, Marie, his wife of 65 years, and surrounded by his children and so much love. At 95, he led a full and remarkable life for which we are all blessed.

--John Kremer

Margaret Kremer remembers...

Margaret Kremer McLaughlin's daughter Emily has been a Tacoma counselor here all summer, and this vicarious re-emergence into Frost Valley has set Margaret to fond remembering. Here is what she recently wrote to me:

Ray my oldest brother was actually the first employee of Camp Wawayanda from the Kremer clan under Jim White in the early 60s. (Mom and Dad were late entrants into the Frost Valley employment pool). I think Ray met his wife Meg at Camp. All the Kremer siblings worked there as you know -- my son Nathan was also a counselor for a couple years in 1998, 1999.

I was hired the first year they had a girls camp kitchen with the Van Zandts as cooks. I was either 15 or 16 (1965-1966)... but the main criteria for employment was being at least 5 '10' as the men were not certain that girls could handle the heavy workload - particularly the pot duty. If there were pictures... we were quite a hefty crew.

Elsie Kimble was girls camp director when I began.. I became very attached to her. I tried to find her after I dropped Emily off this summer. I know she was a Professor at Mississippi State University. I was allowed to visit her during my junior year of high school while she was in graduate school at the University of Alabama for Romance languages. It was my very first plane ride and I was only allowed to go if I made it into the National Honor Society..

I continued to work every summer afterwards in a variety of roles. The next big "boy-girl" issue arose over "out tripping". The boys went on extended out-trips and canoe trips... and the girls staff had to push for equal opportunity for the girl campers. I recall hiking with girls wearing desert boots because there was no such thing as a girl's hiking boot available at the time. Desert boots had very flimsy soles. At some other time, when I have more time, I could muse a bit about the boy-girl development at the camp!

Carol English, Janet Winner, myself and I think John Paul Thomas (although I don't recall all the male counterparts) took the first co-ed cross-country trip in early 70s. [This was called "Western Adventures."] We flew stand-by with a passel of campers out of New York into Denver, rented a bus and traveled all over the place, and I think the thing cost about $400 per camper. I remember at the end of the trip the bus driver was in tears because he had never had a group behaved so well for four weeks. The bus got impounded the day we visited Disneyland as we had been on the road for too long... so we had to stay at the park for 14 hours. This was not a problem!

Kremer-McLaughlin

The Kremer clan has contributed its share of talented FV people. Charlie Sr. worked maintenance for many years. Charlie Jr. was a counselor, ran out-trip and led trips. Ray was involved with Trailblazers in the early years. Ann Marie was on staff for a time (and now has a pottery shop at the Claryville turn-off). Mom Marie of course ruled the Ad Office for many, many years, after having spent a bunch of summers cooking for Girls' Camp. (I washed pots for Marie in '72; not many years later I worked with her in my role as program director and then camp director. We were quite a pair!) John came up through the ranks and worked maintenance, as has been noted in this blog. Margaret was here, too, and at least one summer was the director of the girls' camp.

That summer Margaret brought with her a wonderful fellow named Joe McLaughlin. Joe, I believe, was the VC of Outpost. (That's a guess from memory; I haven't consulted my old staff lists.) Later Joe and Margaret had their wedding at Frost Valley.

Well now their daughter Emily McLaughlin is here - a counselor in Tacoma Village. In this photo: my daughter Hannah (in black), a Tacoma camper; Jess Halbrecht, the smart and savvy Tacoma VC (VC for her second summer there; she's a pro), wearing orange; Lily Bushman-Copp, a Tacoma counselor, with her arm around Hannah; and our alum kid, Emily McLaughlin, blue shirt next to Jess.

Both Jacqueline Kremer and Chris Dundorf have reminded me since this entry went up that John Kremer and Jacqueline Dundorf Kremer's daughter Sarah will be a special CIT - called WIT - for the month of August. (WIT = Wrangler in Training. Perhaps obviously, this is a special program for those wanting training in teaching equestrianism to kids. We will see John, Jacqueline ("Jacky Sacky" in her day) on July 27.

Marie Kremer and Halbe Brown

At the September 2006 reunion we dedicated the Halbe & Jane Brown Pavilion on a blustery and rainy Saturday late afternoon. Notwithstanding the high winds (which knocked out the power, so we ran the speaker system on a generator) the ceremony was very moving--with various people from across the generations speaking to and about Halbe and Jane. We had also heard that Marie and Charles Kremer were planning to move away from their long-time Claryville home. So without telling them we would honor them too, we invited them and as many of the Kremer clan as could be there. This photo captures the moment when both Marie Kremer and Halbe Brown were being recognized for their many years of service to Frost Valley's people and goals. The Brown pavilion has been a great help - on check-in days and especially on rainy days spring, summer and fall. Here are some photos of the pavilion taken during the summer of '06.