Obituary: Hamm, David Roberts
Age 89
Born to William Hamm and Isabelle Driskell Hamm in Blackwater, Missouri, on January 27, 1925, he was the third of five brothers.
David’s life was shaped by the experiences of his youth during the Great Depression and his coming of age during World War II.
David enlisted in the US Marine Corps just after his 17th birthday.
Sent to the South Pacific as a radio operator, he was awarded a Purple Heart for injuries received on Bougainville in the Solomon Islands.
When he returned to active duty, he replaced a woman Marine named Carol Potts.
The two began dating, and were married at Temple Baptist Church in Kansas City on October 16, 1946.
Following his discharge, David began his 39-year railroad career as a Northern Pacific telegraph operator in North Dakota.
He later served as a livestock agent in Montana and an agricultural agent in the Columbia Basin before moving into property management as part of the Glacier Park Company.
David was preceded in death by his wife Carol.
Survivors include the couple’s six children, Carol (Tom) Bellinger, Linda (Randy) Crowe, David Hamm, Cynthia (Kyle) Malmquist, James (Dianne) Hamm and Charles (Joanie Eppinga) Hamm; seven grandchildren and numerous great-grandchildren; nieces and nephews.
The family wishes to express its sincere appreciation to the entire staff of the Community Living Center at the Spokane Veterans Hospital for the outstanding care, compassion and empathy David received during the last four weeks of his life.
Services for David will be scheduled for a later date.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorials to Toys for Tots, Second Harvest Food Bank or a charity of your choice.