OLD CHATHAM—Arthur S. Hammell of Old Chatham died with his family at his side Thursday, July 1, 2010, under the care of the Community Hospice of Columbia/Greene Unit, Columbia Memorial Hospital, Hudson.
Mr. Hammell was born on November 13, 1942 in Port Chester, son of the late Nelson L. and Virginia U. Hammell.
He spent many summers working on his family’s Long Island farm, under the tutelage of his grandfather, the late Arthur S. Underhill, and graduated from Port Washington High School. He earned an associate’s degree in construction technology from the State University of New York, Farmingdale, and worked in the new construction department of Columbia University.
Mr. Hammell was a proud veteran of the U.S. Navy. After enlisting as an ensign and serving in the Seabees, he was accepted into the Pensacola Naval Air Training Command, Pensacola, FL. He earned his flight wings in August 1965, Class 27. First based in Memphis, TN, he was later assigned as a P-3 Orion aircraft navigator to Squadron VP-40, based at Moffett Airfield, Sunnyvale, CA. He served tours of duty in Japan and Vietnam. He was honorably discharged from active duty in 1969, and served several additional years with Naval Reserve squadrons in Willow Grove, PA, South Weymouth, MA, and Glens Falls, attaining the rank of lieutenant commander.
Mr. Hammell worked as a medical supplies sales representative in the San Francisco area for Becton-Dickinson & Co. and Bard-Parker. In 1974, he purchased the Banner Clothing House on Main Street in Chatham, which he ran for 18 years. He went on to establish Bibere, a vending business serving many counties in the state. Most recently, Mr. Hammell worked as a driver for Marchese Ford in New Lebanon.
He was a life-long member of the Jericho Friends Meeting on Long Island, which his family has attended for generations. He was also a member of the VFW and the Columbia County Conservative Party.
In 1975, Mr. Hammell married the former Nancy Cummings of Chatham, who survives.
In addition, he is survived by his son and daughter-in-law, Mark K. and DeLynn Hammell of Union City, CA; his daughter and son-in-law, Carrie L. and Adam Torrey of Gainesville, FL; a sister, Judith Becker of Glen Cove; two brothers, Nelson Hammell and his partner, Edward Guffey of Lake Worth, FL; and Willis Hammell and his wife, Lori, of Old Chatham; and four nieces, Amanda Hammell of Castleton, Tiffany Hammell of Glenville, Danielle Hammell of Claverack, and Jodi Becker-Mora and her husband, Victor, of Glen Cove.
The family will receive friends Monday, July 5, from 2 to 4 p.m. and 7 to 9 p.m. at the French, Gifford, Prieter and Blasl Funeral Home, 25 Railroad Avenue, Chatham. A service of remembrance will be held at the funeral home Tuesday, July 6 at 9 a.m., followed by internment at the Gerald B. H. Solomon Saratoga National Cemetery at noon.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial donations to Community Hospice of Columbia/Greene, 47 Liberty Street, Catskill 12414, or the East Chatham Fire Company, P.O. Box 94, 14 Frisbee Street, East Chatham 12060. For directions or to send an online condolence visit www.frenchblasl.com.
