December 2, 1943
Msgr. John Kraemer
Msgr. Kraemer was born in Chicago on September 23, 1893. He attended grade school in his home parish of St. Michael’s and attended seminary at St. Joseph’s Seminary, Teutopolis, IL, St. Mary’s Seminary, La Porte, TX and St. Meinrad’s Seminary, IN. Bishop Hennessey ordained him for the Diocese of Wichita at the Abbey Church, St. Meinrad, IN on May 1, 1917. Msgr. Kraemer’s assignments were at Dodge City, secretary to Bishop Hennessey and assistant at the cathedral, Kinsley and Larned. He was last assigned to St. John’s Parish in El Dorado on July 8, 1927. Along with pastoral assignments he was Director of the Priests’ Eucharistic League, Pro Synodal judge, Diocesan Consultor, and a member of the Diocesan Orphanage Board. On June 10, 1943 he was made a Domestic Prelate and left for vacation in Colorado. While on vacation he became ill and was taken to St. Francis Hospital in Colorado Springs where he was diagnosed with cancer. After unsuccessful treatment of his cancer, Msgr. Kraemer returned to Wichita and spent the last weeks of his life at St. Francis Hospital where he died on December 2, 1943 at fifty years of age. Funeral services were held at St. John’s Church, El Dorado, and burial was at Calvary Cemetery in Wichita.