Johannes Robert Krahmer

Johannes Robert Krahmer, age 88, of Wilmington, DE died on January 31, 2021 after a long illness. Hans was born in Mannheim, Germany to Wolf and Herta Clemm Krahmer and emigrated to the United States in 1938. His father represented German pulp and paper interests, and the family lived in Cape Elizabeth, ME. Following the attack on Pearl Harbor, Hans’ parents, as enemy aliens, were asked to move away from the coast, resettling in the Albany, NY area. Hans graduated from The Milne School in Albany and, in short order, he became a US citizen and member of the Naval ROTC at Dartmouth College. He graduated from Dartmouth magna cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa and fulfilled his three-year naval commitment as an officer aboard the USS Northampton.

Following his service, Hans attended and received his J.D. cum laude from Harvard Law School. While at Harvard he met, and in 1958 married, fellow Harvard Law student and his life’s love, Betty Pease. Upon receipt of his degree, Hans and Betty moved to Washington, DC, where he joined the firm of Irvins, Phillips & Barker. Later, he served as a staff attorney in the US Treasury Department during the Kennedy Administration. In 1964, Hans moved with his young family to Wilmington, DE to join the law firm of Morris, Nichols, Arsht & Tunnell, where he remained for the rest of his career, specializing in tax and estate counsel. His roles included secretary of the Section of Taxation of the American Bar Association and chair of its Estate and Gift Tax Committee. He was a Fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel (ACTEC) and Past President, Section of Taxation of the Delaware Bar Association.

An active member at Westminster Presbyterian Church, Hans served many volunteer roles including Elder and Chair of the Board of Trustees. He was Chair and a Trustee Emeritus of the Board of Trustees of the Princeton Theological Seminary, having joined that Board in 1972. In retirement, he and Betty enjoyed visiting museums and galleries to further their knowledge and expand their collection of American Impressionist and Realist paintings.

Hans’ pride and joy were his daughters, sons-in-law and, above all, his grandsons. “Opa” delighted in opportunities to vacation with his family and cherished their annual trips to Lake Sebago in Maine. He is survived by his children: Elizabeth Keating of Cambridge, MA, daughter and son-in-law, Andrea and David Cross of Westport, CT, and grandchildren Robert Cross, Charles Cross, Andrew Keating and William Keating. He was predeceased by his wife, Betty Pease Krahmer, and son-in-law, Robert Keating. Hans’ family deeply appreciates the skilled and very loving care that their father received at Stonegates Healthcare over the last eight years.

An opportunity to honor Hans’ memory and celebrate his life will be scheduled for a later date. The family suggests that donations in Hans’ memory be made to Westminster Presbyterian Church in Wilmington, DE or to the Johannes R. Krahmer Memorial Fund at the Delaware Community Foundation.