Henry Hamm, age 90, passed away peacefully on Saturday, December 4, 2021 at the Meadows, Swift Current, SK.
Henrich “Henry” W. Hamm was born September 6, 1931 — the fifth child born to Peter & Susanna Hamm — at home on the farm in Glen Kerr, SK. Dad never learned to speak English until he started school as they spoke German at home, so it must have been a big transition for him. Dad was of a generation where not all were formally educated, but it certainly did not stop him from figuring out how to do a great many things.
On December 24, 1956 he married our Mom, Jean Marion Vandergrift, and they were together until her death in June of 2004. Soon after they got married, Dad and Mom followed Mom’s brother, Floyd, and his wife, Toody, to British Columbia. Dad worked on a couple different farms while they lived in BC in the Harrison and Matsqui area. Cathy was born in Mission City in 1959 and so the family started. Mom was homesick for Saskatchewan and family, so Dad brought her back to Saskatchewan before Steven was born in 1962. Connie was born in 1964, Maryanne in 1966, and Ben, born in 1965, completed the family.
After Dad moved back to Morse he did many things to provide for his family. He “babysat” people that were held in jail cells, worked for a plumbing shop, looked after the water treatment plant covering for holidays and days off, ran the movie projector at the theatre, and finally, ended up owning Morse Auto Body Shop for a number of years. Later, he managed the Morse Bowling Lanes for the fall and winter and in summer, Dad and Mom spent the time at Camp Shagabec in the Cypress Hills, cooking and doing the managing of the camp.
They moved into Swift Current in the fall of 1989 and once again, Dad did what he could to provide for family. They finally found their niche and together, they had a Community Living home and the people living with them soon became family to all of us. Dad was involved with League bowling, Senior bowling, Special Olympic bowling, and was a Master Bowler for many years. We often heard him complain about those darn seniors that cheat at bowling!
In 1983, grandchildren started joining the family and Dad had time to do many wood working projects — making toys, doll cradles, blanket boxes, frames out of hockey sticks and baseball bats, and almost anything that he could think of.
Once they decided they needed something different, they billeted Swift Current Broncos hockey players and Swift Current 57’s ball players. And like all things Dad did, he quietly was in the background doing little things at the ball diamond mostly to keep him occupied.
Dad accomplished more things in his lifetime than we could attempt to remember or write about!
Dad lived on his own for many years after Mom died, but several years ago his health began to fail and he needed more care than we could provide for him at home. It was at that time that he moved to Leader for a very short few months and then into the Meadows in Swift Current.
Dad leaves to celebrate a life well lived his children, Cathy (Charles), Steven (Donna), Connie, Ben (Marilyn) and Maryanne (John); his fourteen grandchildren; his twenty-one great-grandchildren — Dad’s greatest joy was to spend time with his grandchildren and great-grandchildren; his brothers; his in-laws; his many nieces and nephews; and by his friends that became family over time.
Dad was predeceased by his wife of 47 years, Jean.
For the last couple of years Dad told us that he wanted to have a big 90th birthday party and then that was good as could be done. In September we had a birthday party and all his kids, and most of his grandkids and great-grandkids, as well as special extended family were there and we celebrated 90!
Well, Dad, true to your word, you did what you have always done and found a way to get done what needed to be done.
Per Henry's wishes, no formal funeral services will be held.
In memory of Henry Hamm and for those wishing, donations made to the Canadian Cancer Society or the Special Olympics would be appreciated by the family.
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