Thursday, June 29, 2017

Joan Kramer




-Former Teacher Librarian/Coordinating Librarian/Coordinating Field Librarian at LA Unified School District;
-Studied Elementary Teaching Credential at University of California, Berkeley;
Studied Library Media at Cal State Long Beach;
-Studied World Literature at UC Berkeley;




Joan Kramer fought for justice and equality. She was a beautiful, compassionate and loving woman. She loved poetry.


Death, be not proud by John Donne

Death, be not proud, though some have called thee
Mighty and dreadful, for thou are not so;
For those whom thou think'st thou dost overthrow
Die not, poor Death, nor yet canst thou kill me.
From rest and sleep, which but thy pictures be,
Much pleasure; then from thee much more must flow,
And soonest our best men with thee do go,
Rest of their bones, and soul's delivery.
Thou'art slave to fate, chance, kings, and desperate men,
And dost with poison, war, and sickness dwell,
And poppy'or charms can make us sleep as well
And better than thy stroke; why swell'st thou then?
One short sleep past, we wake eternally,
And death shall be no more; Death, thou shalt die.


from Meditation 17 by John Donne (1572-1631)
From "Devotions upon Emergent Occasions" (1623), XVII:
Nunc Lento Sonitu Dicunt, Morieris –
"Now, this bell tolling softly for another, says to me: Thou must die."

No [wo]man is an island,
entire of itself;
every [wo]man is a piece of the continent,
a part of the main.
If a clod be washed away by the sea,
[America] is the less,
as well as if a promontory were,
as well as if a manor of thy friend's
or of thine own were:
any [wo]man's death diminishes me
because I am involved in mankind,
and therefore never send to know
for whom the bell tolls.
It tolls for thee…

Joan Kramer (February 26, 1947 - June 28, 2017)



6 comments:

  1. A beautiful tribute to a remarkable woman.

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  2. "Joan was a retired LAUSD librarian, a passionate advocate for public education, and a lifelong champion for social justice. Despite her pain and fatigue, Joan continued to speak out, march, and protest against the privatization of public schools and other harmful public policy issues-- she battled cancer just as fiercely as she fought injustice" - Jeanne Berrong.

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  3. "Joan was a model for all of us. She just never quit. She was a retired public school librarian and lifetime activist. Joan wasn't just a fighter. She was good. So good. One of those people with a beautiful soul. One I can only aspire to be like" - Gail DeBonis Richmond.

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  4. "We all lost Joan Kramer, a teacher, librarian, advocate, activist, photographer of her beloved Silverlake, daughter of radicals, opponent of injustice" - Fred Klonsky.

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  5. Please read below her last message to all her friends on Facebook:

    "Today I met with Palliative Care which of course scares me because next step is Hospice. I am hoping that I'll be able to bounce back but this has been the most miserable and painful experience of my life. I can only ask that all my friends please take the best care of themselves ever. Try to stay ahead of health levels when you can - put yourselves first because no one else will. I am not able to sleep or really eat. But I am trying to get back to some of that. I am relieved somewhat that my HMO is finally paying attention. But I am also worried about the health of my incredible husband Brian Hudson who has completely been with me through every step of this horror. My love goes out to all my friends who have made me feel whole despite the efforts to bring me down. I love you all!"

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  6. Oh Joannie!! I did not know. I had not seen you for many years. I am so sad!.

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