Class of 1952

W. Peter Kramer

• Royal Oak City Commissioner for Five Terms

• Jaycees Young Man of the Year, 1968

• Mentor in Volunteers in Probation Program

• Inducted into the Royal Oak High School Hall of Fame, 2014

W. Peter Kramer grew up in Royal Oak. He attended Longfellow and Barton before graduating from Royal Oak High School in 1952. He then attended the University of Michigan where he earned his bachelor’s degree. He was a devoted family member with his wife Janet and their three children.

Pete created an insurance business in Royal Oak as an independent agent. For 38 years his agency served the community as a model of integrity and service. While he was a successful businessman, he is best remembered as someone who loved his community and gave endless hours of service to make it a better place in which to live.

Pete Kramer was active in his church. He was a member of the Royal Oak Kiwanis Club and the Chamber of Commerce. In 1968 Peter Kramer was chosen the Royal Oak Jaycees Young Man of the Year.

Mr. Kramer served ten years as a member of the Royal Oak City Commission. He was the top vote getter in the elections so he also became the Mayor Pro-Tem for the city. As commissioner he displayed his talent for bringing people together to agree on goals and cooperatively address some important and difficult community challenges. He also served on the Oakland County Board of Supervisors where he helped businesses and industries acquire low interest loans.

Pete Kramer served on the board of directors for William Beaumont Hospital Authority, the Horizon Health Systems and the Alcohol and Drug Abuse Center. He was one of the first to volunteer for the Volunteers in Probation program created by Judge Leenhouts in the 1960’s. The program required a volunteer to meet with a first offender for about 12 hours a month. The volunteer provided friendship and guidance during the probationary period. The program dramatically reduced the number of repeat offenders and helped Royal Oak earn Look Magazine’s All-American City Award in 1967. Because Pete was one of the first and most effective mentors in the program, he was featured in the published article by Look. He also appeared on the Today Show when our city was showcased to the nation. Later a book would be written and published describing the Volunteers in Probation program. The book was dedicated to W. Peter Kramer for his guidance, dedication and service to young apprehended offenders.