Peggy Marie Hammer

Peggy M. Hammer, formerly of Placentia, died on December 24, 2016 after a lengthy battle with Alzheimer’s. She had been lovingly cared for over the last four years at Fullerton Gardens where she peacefully passed away, with Hospice nurses by her side. Peggy was born on September 27, 1931 in Garden City, KS to Thomas Neil Smith and Anna Marie O’Leary, one of four children. After spending her early years in Kansas, her family migrated to Southern California when she was a teenager. That was when she met the love of her life, Joseph D. Hammer. They were married in December, 1947 when Peggy was 16 and Joe was 18. Within 5 years, she was the mother of three children, Mary Diane, Kathleen Ann and Joseph Michael. Her last pregnancy brought challenges as she contracted polio; from which she carried the reminder of a slight limp for the rest of her life. In the early 1960’s, Peggy began teaching at St. Boniface Catholic School where her children attended. Thus began her life-long career as an educator. She first attended Long Beach City College, then going on to Cal State Fullerton which was still a campus of Quonset huts at the time. She received her Bachelor’s in communication in 1966 and her Master’s Degree in education (reading) from her beloved University in 1970. After receiving her bachelor’s, she began her 25 year career with what was then the Placentia Unified School District as an elementary school teacher. She especially loved teaching first and second grade, where she often used her collection of puppets in the classroom. She became the district’s reading supervisor and organized the first Reading is Fundamental program in the State of California. Peggy received many accolades over her career including Outstanding Elementary Teacher of America and a Lifetime Achievement in Reading Education Award from the Orange County Reading Association. Her enthusiasm for education extended into service to her alma mater, where she and her husband, Joe, were active campus volunteers serving on a wide variety of committees, including the University Advisory Board, as well as establishing scholarships and providing funds for various University programs. One of Peggy’s greatest joys was being involved in the selection process of the President’s Scholar’s committee, after which she went on to mentor, counsel and befriend students from all areas of the campus community. In 1999, one of her proudest moments was when she was recognized, with her entire family in attendance, as one of CSUF Alumni’s Vision & Visionaries, their highest award honoring the career achievements of distinguished alumni. Most recently, she was an awardee of Honor an Educator in 2006. Peggy will be remembered by her friends and family as someone who loved to wear stylish clothing, usually with earrings and a fashionable lapel pin on a jacket. She liked to collect everything from baseball cards to Lladro figurines. She had also amassed quite a few elephant collectibles from appreciative CSUF “Titans” over the years. One of her most unique hobbies, to which her family often reaped the rewards, was sweepstaking. Through her diligently mailed entries, Peggy won things like boxes of breakfast cereal, toys, luxurious trips and her “pride & joy” burgundy Cadillac de Ville! She and Joe had the pleasure of traveling to many places around the globe, but especially treasured visiting her family’s heritage, Ireland. She loved her coffee and chocolates…always having a jar of Hershey kisses on hand. As Alzheimer’s began to set in, Joe was always there for her and his was the only name she continued to light up upon hearing. She never lost her pleasant demeanor, her sweet smile, or her playful sense of humor. Amazingly, although she lost the ability of hold meaningful conversations, she could still recognize letters of the alphabet and read some words when her family shared a magazine with her. After 67 years of marriage, Peggy’s life-long partner preceded her in death on April 20, 2015. She is also preceded by her parents, her baby sister, Shirley, her brother Thomas, her sister Suzanne, her daughter Diane. She is survived by her daughter, Kathy Rowe of Lawrenceberg, IN, son, J. Michael Hammer of Asheville, NC, 9 grandchildren, 11 great grandchildren, and countless friends, including Paula & Frank Case (and their daughter Katie) who were like family.   A memorial service will be held at McAulay & Wallace Mortuary (902 N. Harbor Blvd, Fullerton, CA) on Saturday, 1/28/17 at 11:00 a.m. A private family interment will take place at the Holy Sepulcher Cemetery in Orange beside her beloved husband, Joe. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made in Peggy’s honor to the Alzheimer’s Association or the Cal-State Fullerton Philanthropic Foundation.