The 9/11 Memorial Bridge
Remembrance Park
Empty Sky: NJ State 9/11 Memorial
Conseleya 9/11 Memorial
Dewitt 9/11 Memorial
Montclair State University 9/11 Memorial
East Newark 9/11 Memorial
Fair Haven 9/11 Memorial
Freehold Township 9/11 Living Memorial Tree Grove
Christopher S. Cramer loved life.
He enjoyed traveling and spent a lot of time attending Jimmy Buffett concerts in Key West and throughout the Caribbean.
"He was lively, fun and the center of attention at parties," Walter H. Cramer said of his younger brother yesterday.
Jimmy Buffett "changed his life," he said, referring to how the 34-year-old Christopher loved the tailspinning lyrics and rhythmic sounds of Buffett's country, calypso, folk, reggae and rock-style songs. "He (Buffett) sings about sitting in the islands, sailing, having a good time and toasting the better things in life. He was (Christopher's) idol."
Christopher Cramer, a Manahawkin resident, was assistant vice president for tax operations at Fiduciary Trust Co. Mr. Cramer was at work on Sept. 11 on the 90th floor of Two World Trade Center when it was attacked.
Walter S. Cramer, an attorney for NJ Transit in Newark, said he spoke to his son moments before a hijacked jetliner crashed into the South Tower.
After the North Tower was hit, he called his son.
"He said, 'Dad. I've got to get out of here. They're evacuating,'" the elder Cramer said. "I said, 'Okay, I'll see you later.'" But then the second tower was hit.
Walter H. Cramer of Jackson worked in the same office as his brother. But he was a few minutes late for work on Sept. 11. He smelled smoke as he arrived in the PATH tunnel and made his way out safely.
Christopher Cramer was a 1985 graduate of Freehold Township High School and studied for two years at St. Peter's College in Jersey City.
In addition to his father and brother, Mr. Cramer is survived by his mother, Lynne; two other brothers, Marc of Manahawkin and Keith of Tampa, Fla.; and a sister, Susan Kinney of Manahawkin.
New York Times Portraits of Grief
Christopher Cramer had 317 days left and he would be gone for good.
Gone to Florida. Taking the buyout and retiring at 35.
And just like his man Jimmy Buffett, he was going to live on an island and fish and grow fat drinking beer.
"He wanted to get down there before he went totally gray," said his fiancée, Tracy Pereless, who was with him for four years, ever since they ran into each other in the bread aisle at the A&P. "That's what New York did to him for 11 years, turned him gray," she said. "He started at 7:10 and he hated it."
Mr. Cramer lived in commuter hell, driving more than 200 miles a day from his home in Long Beach, N.J., to the World Trade Center and back. He worked as vice president of tax operations for Fiduciary Trust Company International.
His home was on a lagoon, and on the weekends he fished from his deck and drank beer with his people and dreamed of Key West.
He was loved by his parents and three brothers and sister and fiancée. And if they could, they would apologize to him for forgetting to play Jimmy Buffett at his memorial.
Rest in peace Christopher
Rest in peace Christopher
Posted by "K"
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