Margaret J. Hammer

Margaret J. Hammer, 87, of Newton, died Tuesday, June 28, 2016, at her home at McCann Village. A funeral service will be at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, July 2 at the Wallace Family Funeral Home and Crematory. The family will greet friends from 5 to 7 p.m. Friday, July 1 at the funeral home. Memorials to the Metz Church Roof Fund may be left at the funeral home.

Margaret, the daughter of Dirk and Gertie (Dop) Willemsen, was born June 4, 1929, in Monroe. She graduated from Monroe High School in 1948. Margaret was united in marriage with V. Dean Hammer Oct. 14, 1949, in Monroe. They lived most of their married life in Kellogg and Newton. Margaret worked as a sales person at Coast to Coast in Newton for 10 years, retiring in 1990. She was a member of the Metz Community Church and the Jasper County Senior Citizens. Margaret was also a past member of Farm Bureau, Bluegrass Gospel Music Association, SPGMA, Jasper County Historical Society, Kellogg Historical Society and the Williamson Historical Society. Margaret enjoyed crafts, sewing, playing games and flowers. She also enjoyed her social time with family and friends.

Those left to honor Margaret’s memory are her children, Dennis (Bobbie) Hammer of Newton, Jerry (Carol) Hammer of Newton, Doug (Karan) Hammer of Newton and Deborah (Doug) Durant of Baxter; 15 grandchildren, Kristen (Jon) Bellamy, Renee Ann (Troy) Heck, J.R. (Renee) Hammer, Jessica (Jeff) Kueter, Erica (Tom) Kitt, Adam (Amanda) Hammer, Jason (Kim) Hammer, Chelsea (Jason) Holmes, Ralonda (Cole) Leidholt, Ryan Scovill (Breigh Edwards), Travis (Elizabeth) Scovill, Joshua (Molly) Foster, Heather (Jay) Lisovich, Jonathan (Ashley) Durant and Sarah (Brett) Fricke; her many great-grandchildren; two great-great-grandchildren; brother, Marion D. (Wanda) Willemsen of Newton; brother-in-law, Terry Hammer of Newton; her many nieces and nephews; and all of Margaret’s friends. She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Dean Hammer in 2010; two brothers; and a sister-in-law.