Joan Cramer, 71, of Gray, died Thursday October 23, 2025, at Methodist Jenny Edmundson Hospital in Council Bluffs, Ia. Celebration of Life Services Memorial will be 11:00 a.m. Tuesday October 28, 2025, at First United Methodist Church in Audubon. The burial will be at Gray Cemetery in Gray, Ia. Pastor Lori Shannon and Curt Copple will officiate. Open visitation with family to receive friends will be from 5-7 p.m. Monday October 27, 2025, at the Audubon First United Methodist Church. Memorials are to the family to be determined at a later date. Online condolences can be left at www.powersfh.com.
Joan Louise Axman was born January 5, 1954, in Carroll, Ia. to John Vincent Axman and Esther Louise (Newell) Axman. Joan graduated from Carroll High School in 1972.
On June 4, 1972, Joan was united in marriage to James Donald Bush in Carroll. They settled in Coon Rapids where she worked as an active homemaker and mother for a short time prior to moving to Storm Lake where she worked at Lake Shore Café as a Waitress and she also began her caring career working at a local care center. They lived in various communities prior to settling in Gray. Joan cared for her grandmother Maxine Newell and later worked on the farm for Brian Handlos for several years. Joan worked at the Friendship Home in Audubon as a nurse’s aide. She was not afraid of work and walked beans and helped around the farm through the years. Jim preceded Joan in death in 2006.
On September 17, 2011, Joan was united in marriage to William Charles Cramer at the Gray United Methodist Church. They settled in Gray. Joan retired from working at the Friendship Home Care Center in January 2025 after serving there for 30 plus years. Joan served as a member of the Gray City Council. Joan was a member of the Gray United Methodist Church; she also was a member of Gray Community Betterment Club (GCBC). Joan loved her family with all her heart and went the extra mile for them, she was also an avid sports fan, particularly the Iowa Hawkeyes.
Joan is survived by her husband Bill Cramer of Gray, Ia.; her father Jed Bengard of Dedham; her 6 children Jason (wife Kelli) of Carroll, Tony (wife Laura) Bush of Hamlin, Ia., Wendy Bush of Greenville, S.C., Jenna Kasperbauer of Greenville, S.C. Brian (wife Sherri) Cramer of Creston, Ia. And Brad (wife Julie) Cramer of Treynor, Ia.; 15 grandchildren, Hannah Bush of Carroll Haley Bush of Carson, Ia., Zack (wife Kayla) of Wall Lake, Iowa, Catlin Bush (Nate Biggart) of Jefferson, Ia., Ashlyn Bush of Panora, Ia., Nick Barbour of Des Moines, Ia. Brooke Farris of Omaha, Ashley Strasser Audubon, Ia. Cole Bush of Gray, Ia. Jasmine Bush of Greenville, S.C., Andrew of Carroll, Ia., Alexis Ewoldt of Carroll, Ia., Jessica (Husband Grandson) Mwanza of Lusaka, Zambia, Caleb (wife Andreah) Cramer of Athens, Tenn. and Olivia Cramer of Ames, Ia., Kaden Micah Cramer in McKinney, Texas, Sarah Nole, Samuel, Mercy, Elijah and Noah Cramer all in Treynor, Ia.; 16 great-grandchildren, Harper, Jackson, Brylan, Raelynn, Chloe, Lily, Jack, Boone, Sloane, Tripp, Olivia, Josie, Aiden, Tatum and Kash and Tavonga; two sisters, Jane (husband Tom) Hoffman of Coon Rapids, Ia. and Julie (husband Gary) Danner of Dedham, Ia.; sister-in-law Marty (husband Chuck) Petzoldt of Mason City; many other nieces, nephews, cousins, extended family and friends.
Joan was preceded in death by her first husband Jim Bush in 2006, her father John Axman, her mother Esther Bengard, sister, Jan Kasperbauer, brother Jed Bengard, Jr.
