Sara Lee Hellums Kramer

Sara Lee Hellums Kramer, 95, who died on Monday in her Knoxville home, lived most of her life in east Tennessee. A former teacher and chemist, her major life focus was her family. She was born on April 14, 1920 in the west Texas town of Rotan, to Fannie Mae Beauchamp Hellums and John Verrell Hellums, who were in the grocery business. At age nine - 'when my feet would reach the pedals,' she said - she became her father's chauffeur, driving his truck as he made the rounds to his stores. She graduated from Rotan High School at age 16. Influenced by her staunchly Presbyterian mother and supported by her father, she chose Maryville College, a thousand miles from home, enrolling in 1936. Majoring in chemistry and minoring in English, she played tennis and joined the debate team. A local student, Russell Arnold Kramer, was also a debater, as well as a tackle on the football team. Maryville College did not allow unchaperoned dating, but debate team activities created opportunities for friendship to grow into something more serious. The couple served as queen and king of a 'barn warming' event in the old college gym. When Sara Hellums and Arnold Kramer graduated Cum Laude, they already had decided to marry. Arnold began law school, while Sara returned to Rotan to help care for her ailing father, who died that year, and to teach high school. She also assisted her mother in operating the Rotan store. On March 8, 1942, just prior to Arnold's leaving for Army Air Force duty, they were married at the First Methodist Church in Maryville. Sara worked as a chemist at DuPont in Buffalo, New York for nearly two years. Reunited after the war ended, they moved to Ann Arbor where Arnold earned his law degree in 1946. They returned to Maryville briefly before moving to Knoxville, where Arnold began practicing with his father, Russell R. Kramer. They were joined by Arnold's brother Jack in the firm now known as Kramer Rayson LLP. Sara and Arnold raised three children who graduated from Knox County public schools John Reed, Sara Lynne and Randall Arnold. After Arnold was named Executive Vice President and General Counsel of Alcoa in 1974, the couple spent a decade in Pittsburgh while maintaining their Knoxville residence. They joined Church Street Methodist in 1947. Among her leadership and service, Sara was a Sunday school teacher and superintendent and active in United Methodist Women. At various times she worked with the League of Women Voters, the Roundtable of Christians and Jews, the Blount Mansion Association, and the Knoxville Bar Association Auxiliary. She remained an enthusiastic supporter of the Knoxville Symphony and the Knoxville Museum of Art and a member of the President's Circle at Maryville College. She leaves her three children and their spouses, Reed Kramer and Tamela Hultman; Lynne Kramer D'Huyvetter and Charles D'Huyvetter; and Randall Kramer and Kathryn Daugherty Kramer. She also is survived by one brother, J. David Hellums and his wife Marilyn, and two brothers-in-law, Roy Kramer and Lyman White. Her passion in later years was her eight grandchildren and eight great grandchildren Kwindla Hultman Kramer, his wife Nina Kuruvilla and their son CP Lucas Varghese Kuruvilla-Kramer; Robert Arnold (Roban) Hultman Kramer and his wife Emily Zackin; Laura Lee D'Huyvetter Johnson, her husband James Johnson and son Jonah; Gretchen D'Huyvetter Cobb, her husband James Cobb and four sons Ian Arnold, Andrew, Oliver and Everett; Caroline D'Huyvetter Carr, her husband Travis Carr, son Waylon and daughter Mae Charles; Chas D'Huyvetter and his fianc Rachel Burke; Lydia Kramer Lee and her husband Zachary Lee; and Hannah Kramer and her fianc Brian Lee. A memorial service is being held at 11 am on Saturday, December 12 at Church Street United Methodist Church in Knoxville with a reception to follow. Memorial gifts may be made to the Arnold and Sara Kramer Library Fund at Maryville College (502 E. Lamar Alexander Parkway, Maryville, TN 37804) or the Memorial Fund at Church Street UMC (900 Henley St, Knoxville, TN 37902).