'Everybody's Favorite Kramer:' New Haven News Legend Dies

BRANFORD, CT — Two weeks ago, Jack Kramer emailed about a few stories he’d be working on: one about the cancellation of the Branford Festival and another on Petonito’s Pastry and Cupcake Shoppe in East Haven giving out free cannolis to help in the COVID-19 fight.

Tuesday, we learned Jack passed away, his fight with cancer a draw.We won’t say a battle lost because based on the comments of his friends and colleagues, Jack was a fighter and not one to give in or give up. Jack worked sharing stories with the people in the communities he served right up until just days before his death.

Jack was the quintessential news man, newshound and all-around story-teller. And judging by the response of readers of Patch, where he worked as a contributor for the past couple of years, his stories moved folks.

Like his story about Mike and Kristin Song’s journey to see Ethan’s Law passed. The Guilford parents lost their son to a tragic accidental shooting.

Or his piece about Sue Kruczek, who lost her son Nick to a drug overdose. She made a plea to President Donald Trump about the opioid crisis, and he responded.

And his story about Nick Vessichio, who was hospitalized for months after being injured while mowing the lawn, was read by thousands.

East Haven Mayor Joseph Carfora said he and Jack "went back a long time; he was one of my confidants when I was trying to decide if I wanted to run for mayor."

"Jack was nothing but a bundle of encouragement for me and I will always remember those meetings and phone calls," Carfora said. "Jack was a very dear friend. May he rest in peace."

'Mr. New Haven'

The people who knew him well, his journalism colleagues from the New Haven Register, where he was editor for decades and CT News Junkie where he freelanced, share both sorrow and memories about the man who was a journalist for more than four decades. Here are just a few:

Mark Brackenbury, a former managing editor under Jack at the Register posted on Facebook, that “Jack was a great mentor and a great journalist. So many of us learned so much about how to conduct ourselves from him.”

Former arts and entertainment editor Donna Doherty said: "Oh no, that is sad. He hired me too on my second cycle at the Reg. Yes, he was a college tennis player. We talked tennis from time to time. Heart goes out to Audrey and family and his colleagues. Wasn't that long ago his byline was in The Patch... newspaperman to the end.”

Luther Turmelle, a Register reporter and editor reported “Some incredibly soul crushing news for me today: My former boss, Jack Kramer, lost his battle with cancer. Jack, along with former Register Business Editor Paul Jackson, were responsible for me coming to New Haven. And he was also responsible for making me business editor at the paper for a while after Paul left. Jack was Mr. New Haven: Everywhere I went doing story assignments, everybody knew him or had a story about him. He was always very supportive and protective of those who worked under him."

Colleague Fran Fried wrote: "Not good news. Via our pal Luther Turmelle: Cancer took Jack Kramer. I didn't know he had it, but apparently he did, beat it, then it came back. He was a journalist in CT for over 40 years, going back to his student days at UB. Most of my time at the Register, Jack was the editor of the paper. I never knew how he did it -- managing to fight off the budget-slashing forces of evil at the top of the company while maintaining high standards in our newsroom. That was a hell of a lot of stress. And he was encouraging to a lot of my friends there in their pursuits of good stories, trolls be damned. And when I did an op-ed in 2011 from Fresno, which served as a coming-out story for a lot of people back here, I was shocked to see that he started it out on A1 as part of a package. Also, I don't know many Yankee fans bigger than Jack, and I found out along the way we were both huge fans of that Jersey institution, Uncle Floyd.

In recent years, he freelanced as a reporter for Patch and CT News Junkie. When word got out about my brush with game show infamy, he was the first to call me for an advance for Patch and the first to call me after it aired. He was working for both outlets right up till near the end. A dedicated reporter and editor. A huge loss.”

Former Register copy editor and page designer Mheegan Rollins Bachinski knew Jack well and worked with him for years also took to Facebook.

"Oh Jack My heart is shattered. Even though I knew this was coming I don’t want it to be real life. I’m sorry I didn’t get to properly say goodbye to you and tell you all the things I hope you already knew — Even though I know you’d shush me and change the subject when I tried to get sappy on you. I am just so lucky to call you my boss, my mentor, and most importantly, my friend. At the Register you ruled with tough love — not from above or with any bravado — but beside us “in the trenches.” Even jumping in to paginate despite the fact that Al and I immediately changed everything you did as soon as you dropped the page. Did I ever tell you what a privilege it was to work for you ... with you? I hope you know how much admiration and respect we all had for you. And it never wavered. Never. The day you left the Register is the day that newsroom and newspaper dimmed forever. Many tried to fill that office after you, but none could stand in your shadow, much less fill your shoes. Thank you for always seeing the potential in me ... even when I was showing you anything but. Thank you for believing in me and naming me assistant news editor ... even when I wasn’t sure I could do it. Thank you for always having my back even when I made it difficult to be on my side. And thank you for always treating me with respect even when I was being an argumentative pain in your ass (which, let’s be honest, was A LOT). At this point I know you’d be incredibly flustered by all this praise but as you know I’ve never been one to keep quiet and I’m sure not starting now: so jack Kramer, above all, I want you to know you mean the world to me. I am so very grateful you were a part of my life. Soon enough our ragtag Register family will get together, all will pour the rumchata (not because it’s yummy but because, at this point, it’s a Kramer party tradition) and we will give you a proper toast. Until then, rest easy my friend. You fought a good fight. I will miss you forever. Thank you Audrey Kyle and Tammy for sharing him with us.”

Everybody's Favorite Kramer

The person who knew him best, his wife Audrey, posted this adieu to her husband:

"Today I said goodbye to my husband of more than 36 years. After a year long battle with cancer, he passed peacefully. He was a good man, too good for me. Everybody’s favorite Kramer. Love you always."

Reporter's note: When this reporter stepped in so Jack could take a few steps back from daily news coverage, nearly everyone, from a first selectman to a police chief asked, "But where's Jack? When's he coming back?" Sometimes, shoes are just too big to fill and that's how it should be.