- Date Of Birth: November 5, 1914
- Date Of Death: April 3, 2016
- State: Idaho
Remember, remember the fifth of November, the day Cap Kramis was born.
As a boy Cap learned to herd goats, and at 13 he killed an elk with a stick and a pocket knife because he ran out of bullets, and by 20 he could fly an airplane, three skills that served him well in life. Even in his 20’s he was interested in world affairs, and by 1941 he could see Hitler needed to be stopped. Before the United States could enter the war, he volunteered to be a pilot, but was rejected because he was too old. Undaunted, he persuaded two friends to join the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) with him because Canada was already at war, and England didn’t care how old they were.
As an RCAF pilot, Cap served his first tour of duty in the Hebrides as a bomber pilot on submarine patrol over the North Atlantic shipping lanes. He then transferred to the United States Army Air Corp where he served as chauffeur and confidante to General Jimmy Doolittle, General William Kepner and other dignitaries, flying them to destinations all across the European theatre.
When the war ended Cap returned to Montana and married Shyrle Parker Reinbold who was widowed with child during the war. Cap, Shyrle and Michael Reinbold found opportunity in the growing industry of water treatment, and life was good. Soon Keith and Karol joined the family, then Cap & Shyrle moved everyone to Turlock California when the Culligan Water dealership there came up for sale. He devoted five years hard labor to its growth during which time two new sons (Marc and John) came along. Then one day a man walked through Cap’s front door and said, “I want to buy your business,” and Cap said, “Sold!”
With no clear idea what to do next, he and Shyrle loaded five children and Shryle’s mother, Dora Parker, into a 1954 Ford station wagon with a 10′ trailer to look for opportunities in Guadalajara. A few months after moving to Mexico, he got a call from hometown friend, Elvira Erdle, who just lost her husband, the Culligan dealer in Boise, Idaho. Cap whispered over his shoulder to Shryle, “Everyone back in the bus, we’re headed for Idaho!” and that’s where their daughter Joli and son Todd were born.
When asked, “How does one measure one’s worth?” Cap replied, “By how well you serve your fellow man.” Casper Dominic Kramis set the bar at 101.
