 She was made a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire and a Companion of the Order of Australia.Kramer was born Leonie Gibson to Alfred and Gertrude Gibson in Melbourne on 1 October 1924.She was educated at Presbyterian Ladies' College, Melbourne, and entered the University of Melbourne in 1942, where she was a resident in the women's section of Trinity College, known as Janet Clarke Hall, and was awarded an A. M. White entrance scholarship.