William Hammaker

1908 - 2010

William Bill Lecrone Hammaker died June 17, 2010 at the home of his daughter, Sue, in Camarillo, Calif. at the age of 102.

He was born June 5, 1908 in Philadelphia, Pa. to Leslie Meacham and Mary Zimmerman Hammaker. His brother, Dr. Ellwood M. Hammaker, died in 1990. Bill married Twila B. Klein July 29, 1934. She died January 29, 2002.

Bill is survived by daughters, Sue Hammaker, Carol Stoughton (Roger) and Sigrid Best Wong; grandchildren, Julie Stoughton (Dan Loranz), Debby Kaschner (George), Dave Stoughton (Christy), Heidi Wong, Lisa Wong Price (Jim) and Susi Wong Plascencia (Carlos); great-grandchildren Rowan and Teagan Stoughton Loranz, Meghan and Liam Kaschner, Will Stoughton and Erica Smith, Jared Wong and Arianna, Jordan (Stephanie), Christian, Jacob, Anthony and Micaela Plascencia and a great-great grandchild Daniel Plascencia.

Bill received a BS in Agricultural Economics (1930) and a BA in Social Sciences (1935) from Penn State and a MA in Christian Education (1936) from Columbia/Union Theological Seminary in NYC. He held YMCA executive positions at Penn State; Johns Hopkins; University of Pittsburg; Industrial USO, Phoenix; and Ventura County, (1945-1969).

Bill supported groups devoted to peace, social justice, the environment, racial equality, food banks and health. Recently he focused on peace activities. He was active in the Camarillo Democratic Club. He and Twila were founding members of the Funeral Consumers Alliance Channel Cities supporting pre-arranged, low cost funeral arrangements. Bill was the first president of the Ventura East Rotary Club. He nurtured large gardens wherever he lived and shared the bounty. He was fond of swimming, handball, camp life (first Eagle Scout in Lansdowne, Pa.) and other physical activities including a climb of Mt. Whitney in his late 50s.

Bill and Twila were active AARP leaders and program directors in several of their retirement communities. Bill was still organizing local, informal tours and events, called Go-See-Ask, in his 90s. He was a Camarillo Don in 1998. Bill was an active member of the Camarillo United Methodist Church where a Peace Pole was erected in his honor on his 100th birthday. He was an avid reader and letter writer including many letters to the Star. He donated his body for science to UCLA. At his 100th birthday celebration, 200 people attended; he was in his element.

His memorial service will be held at 3 p.m., Wednesday, June 30 at the Camarillo UMC, 291 Anacapa Dr.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to the Fellowship of Reconciliation, American Friends Service Comm., YMCA, Amnesty International, Nature Conservancy or Central Asia Institute.