Mary Friedman Kramer

Mary Judith Friedman Kramer, beloved wife, mother, sister, and friend, passed away on October 23, 2023. A second generation Florida native, Mary was born to Herbert and Nellye Friedman (both now deceased) in Tampa in 1950. She attended Mitchell Elementary School, Berkeley Preparatory School, and the University of Florida, where she earned a B.A. in Sociology. She met her future husband, Theodore Kramer, in Gainesville during the summer of 1970, when they were set up on a blind date. It was love at first sight, and after that date, they were never apart. Mary and Ted were married in Tampa in 1972, then moved to Atlanta, where Mary worked for the Federal Reserve Bank. They had their first two children, Bob and Becky, while in Atlanta. In 1976, the young family moved to St. Pete so that Mary and Ted could start their own company, Today’s Woman of Florida. As the business grew, so did their family, and they had two more children, Jenny and Bruce. Mary was a devoted stay-at-home mother for 20 years before returning to work as Today’s Woman’s controller in 1993. Mary and Ted closed the business in 2002, after which they had a wonderful retirement, spending summers in Highlands, NC, and winters in St. Petersburg. 

Mary loved her family and friends more than anything else. She radiated joy, never met a stranger, and always had a smile on her face. She enjoyed entertaining, reading, and bridge. She was a constant volunteer at her childrens’ schools and donated her time to the Jewish Federation and the NCJW. She was a past member of the Board of Directors of Shorecrest Preparatory School. 

Mary was preceded in death by Ted in 2020. She is survived by her four children, Bob (Lizzie), Becky, Jenny (Todd), and Bruce; a grandson; her siblings, Bill (Toni) Friedman, Frances Williams, and Frank (Julie) Friedman; Ted’s siblings, Jackie Mandell and Jill (Martin) Munzer; and a large extended family. A memorial service will be held on Sunday, October 29, at 2:30 p.m. at Congregation Schaarai Zedek in Tampa. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be made to the Jewish Federation of Pinellas County or to ORT America.