Christine Caroline Swartzendruber

  General Notes:

In Memory of CHRISTINE CAROLINE HAMNER

Born October 19, 192 1, in Nashua, Montana, to Christian and
Elizabeth Swartzendruber, Christine spent her early
childhood on the nearby family ranch. By age 5, she was
riding a horse to and from the nearest school several miles
away. Plagued by seven years of drought, dust storms and
the Great Depression, the family gave up ranching in 1933
and moved to a farm in Michigan to began again in a more
friendly climate. There, Christine was able to bicycle to
grammar school but had to leave her farm home and stay with
relatives in town while attending high schools in Pigeon and
Vassar, Ml, graduating in 1939 at the top of her class. She
attended Port Huron (Ml) Business College and, following
graduation, became a private secretary at Chrysler
Corporation in Marysville, MI. She married Frederick C.
Hammer, a young newspaper reporter, in late 1942. It was a
marriage destined to last 55 years despite an early separation
of three years during World War II during which she worked
at Chrysler helping with the war effort and he served with the
Flying Tigers in China. After the war, they resided in Port
Huron and St. Clair, MI, before moving to Saginaw, Ml,
where they lived for 33 years. Christine was a wonderful
mother and devoted herself to caring for her four children.
She was also an active member of the St. Mary's and St.
Thomas Catholic Churches, Saginaw General Hospital
Auxiliary, and Parent-Teachers associations while helping
her husband advance to become Director of Public Relations
for Central Foundry Division, General Motors. In 1983, when
her husband retired, they moved to San Dimas, CA, to be
near their four children who, following college graduation,
had all moved to Southern California. In San Dimas, Christine
was a member of the Holy Name of Mary Catholic Church
and the San Dimas Woman's Club. In addition to her
husband,., Christine leaves four children, Frederick J.
Hammer, of Pasadena, CA, Carole Hinkle, of San Dimas, CA,
LeAnne Hamilton, of Sierra Madre, CA, and Brian Hammer, of
Burbank, CA; six grandchildren, Chris Pierce, Anne and Paul
Hammer, Scott Hamilton, and Adam and Michael Hammer;
two brothers and one sister, Chris Swartzendruber, of
Kenner, LA, Don Swartzendruber, of Saginaw, MI and
Darlene Feeheley, of Blooinfield Hills, Ml. To them, and all
who love and would mourn her, Christine offers the thoughts
set forth in a favorite poem.

Christine married Frederick Cleon Hammer, son of Jens Christen Christensen (John K. Hammer) and Nora Magdalene Welsh, on 26 Dec 1942 in Pigeon, Huron Co., Michigan. (Frederick Cleon Hammer was born on 18 May 1919 in Upland, Franklin Co., Nebraska, died on 15 Jun 2006 in California and was buried on 21 Jun 2006 in Forest Lawn Cem., Covina, Los Angeles, California, USA.)