Of Roanoke, VA departed from his earthly life on April 2, 2008. Lion John was one of the best known pin traders in all of Lionism, Lion John was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer a few months ago and had been treated aggressively with chemo. He maintained a positive attitude up until the very end. Lion John was one of those pin traders who would work tirelessly to find pins for those who asked for his assistance. In his retirement life, he spent almost all of his awakening hours in pursuit of one pin or another. Often he would forget the time differences from the East Coast to the West Coast. This resulted in more than a few irate pin traders on the West Coast who were awakened early in the morning by a call from John seeking a pin or pins for one of his buddies. To some he was a pain in the you know where, but to most he was just being John Kramer.  Where ever he is today, you can rest assured that pin trading is still on his mind. The pin trading community has lost another "giant" in the hobby and we extend our sincere sympathy to his wife, Connie.

A memorial celebration of John's life will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, April 5, 2008, at the Salem Presbyterian Church officiated by the Reverends David Gellert and Janet Denton. Interment will be private. John's family will receive friends from 2 to 4 p.m. and from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Salem Chapel of Lotz Funeral Home, 1330 East Main Street, Salem, Va. Please consider memorial donations to either the Salem Presbyterian Church Music Fund, N. Market Street, Salem or to the American Cancer Society, Giles County Relay for Life, c/o Alice Dowdy, 5008 Park Commons Leap, Glen Allen, Va. 23059.