Serving Whitman County since 1877
Serving Whitman County since 1877
When Ami Kramer was dating her husband Mark, owner of Kramer’s Funeral Home in Palouse, it was common for her to tell her family he would be at an event unless someone died. Now that they are married with a seven-year-old son Daniel, they don’t ever make definite plans.
“We just fly by the seat of our pants,” Ami said.
Ami Lemon Kramer grew up in Colfax as one of six children. She met Mark when she and some friends went out to play darts. At first, he was vague about what he did, saying he was a farmer whose crop never grew. Ami recalled she had to really push before she found out he was a mortician—which was no big deal to her. They became pinochle and dart partners and eventually partners in marriage.
Their wedding was the only event they have ever planned. With Mark’s work, he may have to leave a function at any time to respond to a call for service.
Ami said they still find time for family and fun.
Ami works at the office of Dreamworks Residence in Colfax. She started working for the founder, the late Roy McDonald, when he called her up to see if she would help take care of developmentally disabled at the home. Originally she was planning on quitting work after her son was born, but after six weeks she realized she would go crazy. Fortunately, she was able to take him to work with her and now Dreamworks has a room for kids. She now works enough to get her out of the house, she said.
“With Dreamworks, the funeral home and a seven-year-old, I stay busy,” she noted.
After living in Palouse for 12 years, almost everyone knows Ami. She is active in the community as a member of the PEO Chapter, a volunteer at the Needful Things thrift store and member of the Palouse Federated Church.
Ami looks forward to planting a garden this spring.
“If I could roto-till my whole yard, I would” she said. They plant vegetables and fruit and preserve much of the produce.
“We can everything we possibly can,” she said.
The family lives above the funeral home, and Ami handles the pre-funeral insurance, helps with phones and showing families. She also keeps an eye on Daniel and likes living in a small town where everyone helps watch children.
Now a first grader, Daniel is in Little Dribblers basketball and likes trains. He is very much a “mini-me” of Mark, Ami added. Ami also has a step-son, Brandon, who lives in Spokane.
Even though they live in a funeral home, they still have a lively time. When no one is in the funeral home, they can go downstairs, pick up the microphones and sing oldies.
They recently added to the household with a black lab-cross hound puppy, Max.
Before, if someone had told Ami she would marry a mortician, she would have said they were crazy.
“I wouldn’t change it,” she said.
Recipes:
Tuna Noodle Casserole
1 can tuna, drained
1 (12 oz.) pkg. shell macaroni
1 small package frozen peas
1 can cream of celery soup
1 can cream of mushroom of cream of chicken soup
oyster crackers
1 cube butter
1/2-1 tsp. garlic powder
Cook macaroni according to package directions. Drain. Meanwhile, in buttered casserole, mix tuna and peas together. Add cooked macaroni. Stir in soups and about 1/2 can of water. Top with crackers that you drizzle the melted garlic butter over. Cover. Bake about 30 minutes at 350 degrees. Five minutes before casserole is finished, sprinkle with grated parmesan if desired and finish baking.
Red Velvet Cake
1/2 cup shortening
1 1/2 cup sugar
1 cup buttermilk
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
2 tsp. cocoa
2 oz. red cake color
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. soda
1 1/2 tsp. vinegar
Cream shortening and sugar, add eggs. Make a paste of cocoa and food coloring and add to creamed mixture. Mix salt and vanilla with butter milk. Add alternately with flour. Beat thoroughly. Mix soda and vinegar and fold into mixture; bake at 350 degrees for 35 to 40 minutes in greased and floured round cake pans. Turn out onto wire racks and cool.
Frosting for Red Velvet Cake
5 Tbsp. flour
1 cup milk
1 cup butter
1 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
Cook flour and milk until thick; cool mixture until cold. Cream sugar, butter and vanilla. Add cold flour and milk mixture to creamed mixture and beat until it is the texture of whipped cream.
To frost cake, cut layers in half horizontally, making four layers. Frost between layers and on the top of the cake. If you leave the sides unfrosted, it makes a lovely red and white dessert.
Cinnamon Rolls
2 1/4 cup warm water
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
3 Tbsp. yeast
1 Tbsp. salt
6-7 cups flour
Combine water, sugar, oil and yeast in mixing bowl. Let sit 15 minutes. Yeast should be very frothy. Add salt and eggs. Mix well and add flour, one cup at a time, mixing well between each addition. Knead well, either by hand or by mixer. This dough is ready to use immediately. The large amount of yeast eliminates the need for rising.
Roll dough into a rectangle about 1/2 inch thick. Spread with melted butter and sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon. Roll, jelly-roll style, and cut into 1 inch slices. Place slices into prepared pans.
To Prepare Pans:
Melt 1 cup butter, stir in about 2 cups brown sugar and 2-3 Tbsp. cinnamon. Mix well. Pour into 3 round cake pans, 9 inches across works best. Place cut cinnamon rolls into syrup mixture. Bake in 350 degree oven about 27 to 30 minutes. Turn out onto plates to cool being very careful because the syrup mixture is very hot.
NOTE: the dough can also be used for hamburger buns. Roll it 1/2-3/4 inch thick, cut circles from dough and bake at 425 degrees for 10 minutes.
Dough can also be used for pizza pockets.
Jana Mathia is a reporter at the Whitman County Gazette.
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