Friends mourn former prosecutor

MONTROSE — The friends and colleagues of Patricia “Pat” Kramer shared memories of the attorney, whose unexpected death left them reeling.

Kramer, 43, was a former deputy district attorney in Montrose and in that capacity served as head of the sex crimes prosecution unit. She died early Saturday, reportedly of an embolism that developed after surgery the day before.

“It’s a great loss,” District Attorney Myrl Serra said Monday. “This is a person that came to Montrose, made it her home and got involved in things.”

Serra pointed to the numerous community organizations with which Kramer was involved prior to her move to Gallup, N.M., last September for a new job.

Kramer had been a director at the resource center, was involved in Partners, the Magic Circle Theatre and other organizations, Serra said. “She didn’t just watch life go by.”

“She was a remarkable person and involved in many aspects of the Montrose community,” Dan Hotsenpiller said, recalling his own arrival in Montrose at roughly the same time as Kramer’s.

“We were new lawyers (to Montrose). In a small legal community, you get to know someone fairly quickly,” Hotsenpiller said. “She was also a close, personal friend.”

Hotsenpiller was formerly a prosecutor and worked with former District Attorney Wyatt Angelo to create the sex crimes unit. Kramer, with whom he’d already served on the resource center board of directors, was hired as the case deputy.

“She had a real positive impact on our community and she’ll be missed. There’s lots of folks she touched here in the community,” Hotsenpiller said.

Kramer’s friends in community theater echoed Hotsenpiller’s sentiments.

“She was one of our dear friends,” Magic Circle board president Bob Theis said, recounting Kramer’s days as a backstage manager and board of governors chair.

“She was one of our better stage managers. To the smallest detail, she had it. Whether it was a cigarette in an ashtray or a complete change of silverware on a table, it was done amazingly fast.”

The 2006 production of “Art” was the last one Kramer managed before leaving to work as an assistant district attorney for the McKinley County, N.M. prosecutor’s office.

Theis said Kramer’s many friends at the theatre were upset. “She’s missed quite a bit. The Friends of the Magic Circle Theatre got together a week ago and discussed her condition. There was quite a bit of concern when we found out her condition.”

Hotsenpiller said Kramer was initially diagnosed with a kidney infection, but on Aug. 8, it was determined she had renal cancer. He was told the cancer spread to her lungs and surgery was undertaken Friday in an attempt to reduce fluid build-up.

The embolism formed post-surgery, causing Kramer’s death.

“She had chosen to go down into New Mexico to work on sexual assault felonies there on the reservation and to battle the subculture there (concerning sexual violence against women),” Serra said. “She was trying to take it to the next level. It’s a big loss.”

Theis called Kramer “an asset” and offered condolences to her family.

“Our hearts go out to her family in this time of distress. We’d like the family to know we did think of her and she was in our prayers.”

Funeral services will be held Thursday in Albuquerque. (See obituaries, page A15).