Kris S. Kramm, 54, of Nora Springs, Iowa, passed away on Saturday, November 15, 2025, after a decade long courageous battle with various health issues at the Mayo Clinic Hospitals, Rochester, MN, where he and his family were anxiously awaiting Kris to be given the gift of a new life through a heart transplant.
In honoring Kris wishes a Public opportunity Celebrate and Reflect on his Life will be held on Saturday, November 22, 2025, at 2532 South Shore Drive, Clear Lake, Iowa, from 12-3 PM with food and fellowship. A public Memorial Remembrance Service and time of sharing will be held at 3:00 PM on the 22nd. This location is also where the long time Nightmare Haunted Hike has been held, a place where Kris spent countless, dedication and hundreds of hours over the years, not only portraying characters such as his favorite alter ego “Beetle Juice”, along with others, but also helping to build and plan for new sets, helping new actors and sharing his boundless passions in entertaining others. Kris was one of the main foundations of The Nightmare Haunted Hike since it’s humble inception.
Kristopher Steven Kramm, the son of Gerald “Jerry” and Marlys (Arndt) Kramm, was born May 11, 1971, in St. Paul, MN. Kris was one of 9 children to bless this union including sisters Tammy, Kim, and Kelly, and brothers Bob, Dave and Terry. He grew up in his earlier years and attended schools in Staple, MN. While growing up in Staples he participated in Boy Scouts time. Kris was baptized and confirmed in the Lutheran church in Staples. His parents were divorced when he was a child. Following completion of his junior year of high school he moved to Nora Springs, IA, where he lived with an aunt and uncle. He graduated from Nora Springs High School and then was employed for a time at the local elevator.
In 1989, began a 26 year long career of employment with Currie’s Manufacturing in Mason City, IA, where he was door finisher for most of his years. In 1993, Kris met Julie Borneman of the Dumont, IA, area and the two were married on April 29, 1995, at the Church of Christ in Mason City. Following their marriage they had lived for a time in rural Dumont before moving to Nora Springs, IA. Their union brought a son Alex and daughter Samantha into the world. Due to a sudden health crisis in 2015, Kris was forced to retire from Currie’s, a frustrating and difficult speed bump in the life of a man who had a challenging time sitting still and always wanting to be doing something productive.
Kris loved coaching kids over the years and was able to coach Alex baseball teams and Samantha’s softball teams during their youth and middle school years. He also looked forward to supporting and cheering for them in all of their other endeavors. Kris enjoyed taking the kids on camping excursions. He looked forward to fishing with Alex, buddy Dave and others. Deer hunting and shooting guns with Alex were other favorite activities. He had a wide variety of tastes for music and bands, most of which were on the harder side of the musical scales. He and Julie attended numerous concerts and had seen the likes of Ozzy, Kiss, Metallica, and Alice Cooper. His musical library was filled with favorites including favorites Linkin Park, System of a Down, Disturbed, Static X, Beastie Boys, Metallica, Rammstein, and Sir Mix Alot. His love for haunting and Halloween took him on adventurous treks with his “adopted” brother-in-law Brian McDonough, close friends Dave and Dale, and others to the annual Transworld Halloween Costumes Conventions in St. Louis where he loved to immerse himself in the latest and greatest costumes, tech and other things at the event. He always made an effort to participate in area parades such as 4th of July, Pucker brush, Duesey Days, Christmas By the Lake, Band Fest and others with the “Hike Family” including his own family members even when he didn’t he didn’t feel the best he could always be counted up Kris was a diehard Indianapolis Colts fan even way back to the day’s when they were known as the Baltimore Colts and had hall of famer QB Johnny Unitas at the helm. He also cheered for the Vikings as long as they were not playing against his Colts and had even attended as Vike’s game in Minneapolis as recently as this past September. Kris always supported the “Underdogs” if his teams weren’t on the field and this same characteristic carried through as he always cheered for others in life who he wanted to see them succeed in whatever was their battles or life ambitions. He had an extensive collection of anything Bettlejuice, comic books, toys and other memorabilia. He loved animals especially dogs and cats and had a special bond with the family dog, Meredith, who had visited him in the hospital while Kris passed away and who waits for him still on Kris bed to this day to come home.
Over the past couple years Kris became a grandpa to Samantha’s son Felix, who is an absolute mini clone of what Kris looked like in his childhood. He very much looked forward to anything that meant the two of them could hang out.
Those who had the privilege of crossing in the footsteps of Kris’s life including his family and friends will fondly remember all the countless good times they had together no matter what the event or occasion, Kris presence always made it more fun, exciting and rewarding. His zest for life, love for others and passion for entertaining the world around him will burn brightly in the hearts and minds of all who knew him. He was a man of many characters! A guy who always showed great courage no matter what life through in his path from his health battles to the family home fire a few years back, Kris always focused on what was next and the hopes of the future ahead never looking in the rearview mirror or wanting pity from those around him. He was always about helping others and doing what he could with the limitations that often kept him grounded from what he wanted to accomplish. Even to the very end of his days his positivity and unwavering hope to be around into the future was shown just a few priceless hours of excitement of being able to be given the gift of a new life through a donor heart which he was absolutely excited about sharing the news with everyone, only to have this hope extinguished at the very last moment by some viral infections in his body that made the transplant become impossible as the eventually multiplied in his embattled body.
All in all Kris was a character bigger than life! He often would share with his wife Julie, Alex, Sam and his friends that in looking back over the years that he always wished he would have been a teacher as he loved to teach others. “Well Kris!”–In life you may not have been a professional teacher, but the education you gave to anyone that knew you and saw how you remained positive, steadfast, moving forward, and striving to persevere against all odds is a lesson that can’t be taught in a classroom, in a factory, haunted hike, or anywhere else! You fought the fight, finished the race, kept the faith and truly are a teacher!” Rest Easy! KK , aka “Bettlejuice!.
Memorials and expressions of sympathy in Kris memory maybe directed % Kris Kramm family, 214 1st St. N.W., Nora Springs, IA 50458. Those wishing to send plants or flowers for the Life celebration may have them sent to the 2532 South Shore Drive, Clear Lake, IA 50428 address for the Saturday event.
Kris 54 years of life will be lovingly remembered by his wife of 32 years Julie Kramm, Nora Springs, IA, son Alex Kramm, Mason City, IA, daughter Samantha (fiance’ Jordan) Kramm and their son Felix age 2 1/2 years old, Mason City, IA; Kim (Brian) McDonough, Nora Springs and their sons Marcus and Mattheu, and daughter Katelyn; sister Kelly (John) Krause, Nora Springs, IA; brothers Bob (Emily) Kramm, Belle Plaine, MN, and their children Nathan, Sarah, and Hannah Kramm; Dave (Phyllis) Kramm, Mora, MN, and Terry Severe, Mason City, IA and his son Justin, Rockford, IA; brother Tony Kramm and a sister Debbie; niece Chelsy (Mark) Schultz, Nora Springs, IA; father-in-law Doug Borneman and step-mother-in-law Darla Borneman; along with numerous other extended family members and countless friends and acquaintances that he had touched with his life.
Kris will be welcomed with open arms into eternal life by his mother and father Marlys and Jerry, sister Tammy Severe, and brother Tony and sister-in-law Laurie Severe; niece Jennifer Severe; and mother-in-law Ann Borneman.
Kris service time of remembrance for those unable to attend in person will be livestreamed at 3:00 PM Saturday on the Andrews Funeral Homes Facebook page. Just LIKE the page to view.
Andrews Funeral Homes, Belmond, IA is assisting the family with Kris services.
