The Chancery received word that Reverend John A. Kraemer died on Friday, May 15 at Adventist La Grange Memorial Hospital in La Grange, Illinois.  Father was born on June 13, 1930 in Chicago Heights, Illinois, to Jacob Kraemer and Mary Berg.

Father Kraemer was ordained by the Most Reverend Loras Thomas Lane at St. James Parish in Rockford on May 25, 1957.  Father attended St. Procopius Seminary in Lisle, Illinois where he received a BA in 1953.  He later attended Northern Illinois University in DeKalb where he received a Master of Arts. Father’s first assignment was as Parochial Vicar at Holy Angels Parish in Aurora (1957-1960).  He was then assigned as Parochial Vicar at St. Joseph Parish in Freeport (1960-1963); and then as Parochial Vicar at St. Patrick Parish in St. Charles (1963-1966).  In 1966 Father was assigned as Parochial Vicar at St. Mary Parish in Aurora.  Father was assigned Pastor of St. Mary Parish in Freeport in 1970.  He then served as Pastor of St. Mary Parish in Sycamore (1988-1989) and finally as Pastor of St. Paul Parish in Sandwich from 1989-1998 and retired there from active ministry on September 1, 1998.

Father is preceded in death by his parents, sister Mary Cathryn (Charles) Layman and brother James (Mickey) Kraemer.

Father is survived by sisters Regina (Raymond) Olson, Bernice (William) O’Neill and by several nieces and nephews.

A funeral service will take place at Hallowell & James Funeral Home on Saturday, May 23, 2020, at 11:00 a.m. Due to local, state and national concerns over the spread of the coronavirus, there will be no visitation and the funeral is not open to the public. Burial will take place at Queen of Heaven Cemetery, Hillside.  Arrangements are being made by Hallowell & James Funeral Home, Countryside, Illinois at 708-352-6500.