b'Citizen Spotlight WHAT ASWEETRIDE! would man the hydrolyzer for soapmaking at Procter & Gamble It seemed like an ordinary day, as Larry Kramer lounged on the(where he would ultimately have a 37-year career). Hed leave lawn at his Aunt Gussies house. The youngster and his pals alwaysP&G right after his shift and go straight to building his future home enjoyed passing time in the yard, watching cars poke along downin Independenceby himself, by hand. Madison Pike. By his count, thered be one or two an hour. ButMy dad was also a certified electrician, Larry revealed. He back then, the population of Independence was a mere 279, asdropped out of school when he was 14 and went out on his own. he recollected. Suddenly, Larry saw a commercial car carrier inWhatever he could find to do to make a living, thats what he did the distance carrying something straight from the future. It was aand everything he did as far as his skills was self-taught. He could brand new 1953 Corvetteand it was a thing of beauty. do anything. That aint no lie. I dont care what it is, he could do it. He was just a super, super creative person.So, in 1946 when Larry was five years old, Robert and Henryetta Kramer moved their family to the house newly built by Robert. That McMillan Drive home happens to be where Larry, his wife, Judi, and their five-year-old dachshund, Wally, live today.Larry, Judi, and Wally are pictured in front of their Independence home, which Larrys father built by hand.Larrys dad was super handy, Judi said, noting he was also town marshal in Independence. Of the four children, Larry was the only Larry holds a framed photo, a gift from Judi, of himself at age 22 in hisone that was interested in watching his dad and thats how Larry driveway on McMillan Drive. He stands with his brand new 1963 Corvettelearned all the stuff he knows.on what he calls a a great, great day. Larry owned, fixed, or sold 15 different Corvettes, one of his favorite vehicles. PEDAL TO THE METALLarry was 16 when he bought his first cara 1950 Plymouth We thought it was a spaceship, Larry laughed. I couldnt believeconvertible. It was a salvage he bought from a friend who owned it. It was ahead of its time. It really was. We went nuts. We jumpeda junkyard in Latonia, where he bummed around every Saturday on our bicycles because we knew it was going to Kenton Countylooking for new finds. He didnt have money to have it fixed, Motors, where Judes is now. That was a Chevrolet dealership then. so he did it himself. Like his father, he, too, had no formal training but learned on his own, oftentimes from old 25 cent That car, which Larry said was the first Corvette sold in Kentonautomobile books like Rodding and Re-styling, Car Craft, County, was what sparked the now 83-year-old Independenceand Rod & Custom. residents passion for cars, and what jumpstarted a career of renown throughout the countryand internationallyfor hisI would buy them books and every month would have a how-to-custom car building prowess. do article that would show you step by step by step, and thats how I learned, Larry explained. It just came as a gift to me. It A CHIP OFF THE OLD BLOCK was a natural feeling to do what I did. I didnt go to school to do it. The oldest of four siblings, Larry lived in Latonia right next to theI would just read the books.railroad tracks on Huntington Avenue, which led his parents toAs a teenager, Larry would soup up and customize cars in the garage seek a safer place to raise children. Every day, his father, Robert,his dad built in his backyard, which he dubs Holy Ground since it 8 was built with bricks from Independence Christian Church.My dad'