Respected Show Manager Elizabeth 'Libby' Kramer Leaves Strong Legacy In Antiques Industry

Elizabeth "Libby" Hosmer Kramer, co-owner of the Heart of Country Antiques Show and partner in Richard E. Kramer & Associates, died Wednesday, October 26, after battling illness at Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St Louis. Born in Kansas City, Mo., Elizabeth grew up in St Louis, attended Clayton High School and recently attended her 50th reunion as a graduate of Washington University where she earned a double degree in English and Education.

She was an active member of Pi Beta Phi Sorority throughout her college years, then as a young mother became active in the Pi Beta Phi Alumnae Association. In 1966, Mrs Kramer was the founding president of the Sign of the Arrow, a not-for-profit shop in St Louis that has provided more than $3 million of philanthropic funds for various St Louis charitable organizations on behalf of Pi Beta Phi. In 1967, she received the Outstanding Young Woman of Achievement Award from the St Louis Regional Commerce and Growth Association in recognition of her contribution to the greater St Louis community.

Mrs Kramer was a founding partner of Krick-Kits Needlework Company in St Louis in 1968. Along with her business partner, she designed and sold needlepoint kits throughout the United States and were commissioned to design custom needlework for historic sites such as Deerfield Village, Shakertown, Sturbridge Village, Colonial Williamsburg and Historic Charleston. In going through the archival collections of these historic cultural centers to research design elements, she became fascinated with American antiquities. That fascination led her in 1975 to partner in another St Louis retail venture called the Patchwork Sampler, a shop specializing in American antiques as well as traditional early American crafts such as rug hooking, Navajo weaving, needlepoint, bargello and embroidery.

After a few years into her successful antiques business, Libby (as she was affectionately known) was joined in the business by her husband Richard, and together they began traveling, antiquing and participating in various antiques shows throughout the Southwest, Midwest and the New England areas. Dealing in antiques put the two in touch with many wonderful people throughout the United States with like interests, and they soon realized that there was a need for a world class antiques show in the middle of America or the "heart of the country" where collectors could shop with top dealers from across the nation.

Thus in 1982, they established Richard E. Kramer & Associates for the purpose of promoting their newest venture, the Heart of Country Antiques Show, which debuted with enormous success at the Tennessee State Fairgrounds in Nashville. Noted dealers and collectors signed up to either participate in or attend the show as did Martha Stewart, a then-emerging catering sensation who flew in from New York to lend a hand in catering the Gala Preview Party buffet. That first show was a grand success for the participating dealers and collectors in attendance and was a sensational kickoff to the Kramers' new business.

Since that time the Heart of Country Antiques Show, which now takes place annually at the Opryland Hotel, has received national acclaim in the antiques world, as well as official designation as one of the Southeast's treasured attractions.

This February 23-26, the Heart of Country Antiques Show will be celebrating its 25th anniversary, and will serve as a loving tribute to the legacy Libby has created over the years. Her nurturing and supportive nature, together with her creative business savvy and determination, inspired dealers to go above and beyond in presenting their finest displays and elevating Heart of Country to premier status. Her enthusiasm and vision led her to partner with cultural museums, magazines such as Country Living, Country Home, Architectural Digest and Southern Living, as well as collectors, educators, notables Mary Emmerling and Tasha Tudor and many, many loyal friends.

Richard E. Kramer & Associates will continue to promote the popular Heart of Country Antiques Show each February in Nashville and will also debut its newest show, the Heart of Country Texas Antiques Show September 27-30, 2006.

Libby is survived by her husband of 53 years, Richard E. Kramer; her daughter, Marianne Kramer Haskins; her daughter Susan Kramer Hunkins and son-in-law Stephen Hunkins, Sr; her son, Thomas Elton Kramer; and four grandchildren; Elizabeth McLane Haskins, Stephen Joseph Hunkins, Jr, Sarah Jane Hunkins, and Samuel Hosmer Hunkins.