Burlington loses a good man and a good doctor

By Jennifer Eisenbart

Editor

When the news began spreading over the weekend that Burlington had lost one of its most beloved physicians, the primary feeling seemed to be shock.

Dr. George Krismer, a long-time family doctor in Burlington who had recently retired, died suddenly Friday.

He was 83.

“I feel like I’ve lost a member of my family,” said Bob Spitzer, a neighbor and another of Burlington’s prominent residents.

Dr. Lief Erickson Jr., who had worked with Krismer since 1979, added that the doctor’s passing was a “tremendous shock.”

“He had an incredible laugh,” Erickson said. “I don’t think I ever heard George say an unkind word about anybody. In fact, I know I didn’t.

“He was just a genuinely good man,” Erickson added. “We all loved him dearly.”

A colleague

Dr. Paul Webber, who still works at the clinic in Burlington, first came here 40 years ago. When he did, “Dr. Krismer kind of took me under his wing.”

“He was very encouraging of me to come here,” Webber said. “It was very obvious he was very happy here.

“He was a good part of why I actually stayed here.”

Webber said that “without a doubt” Krismer was a friend to all of his patients.

“He was always available to them,” Webber said.

Erickson said that Krismer “was everybody’s idea of the perfect family doctor.”

In fact, Krismer would even do house calls.

“For most of his career, George was just extraordinarily busy,” Erickson explained. “He did all the things that people think family doctors are supposed to do.

“It didn’t used to be unusual,” Erickson added about house calls. “He was like a doctor from the other day and age.”

Well read

Spitzer said simply, “His work will continue to influence people for a long, long time to come.”

“I think he was very … All-American,” Spitzer explained. “He was one of the most intelligent men I knew, but he had a large measure of wisdom.

“He was hands-on, not just as a professional,” he added. “He was hands-on to help people.”

Spitzer said Krismer excelled as a family member, and as a member of the community.

“He was a heavy, heavy reader,” said Spitzer, who added that Krismer was the “unofficial team doctor” for Catholic Central High School.

Spitzer said Krismer also made it a point to stay up to date on current affairs.

“He was one of the most informed people on world matters I knew,” he added.

In fact, even after Krismer retired, he continued to meet with Erickson and other doctors at the hospital.

“Dr. Krismer was always one of them,” Erickson said. “He would come up and we would talk and we would laugh.

“He would always talk about what book he was reading,” he added.

When it came time for Spitzer to get remarried – both he and his wife, Delores, had lost spouses from what Spitzer called “happy marriages” – Krismer was the perfect choice as best man.

“Doc knew us very well,” Spitzer said. “When it came time to pick someone that could help bind two families together … he was the man for the job.”

Through it all, Krismer remained humble.

“He was a quiet man, not the kind of man that looked for attention and praise,” Spitzer said. “He was a loving family co-leader with Helen.

Helen said on Tuesday evening that the outpouring of support from the community has been amazing.

“I’ve had so much support,” she said. “So many people have been here.

“Everyone’s pitched in,” Helen added. “Everybody’s been so helpful and so supportive.”

An obituary on Dr. Krismer appears on page 5.