June F. Hammond

Juni was pre-deceased by her parents, Ira Clayton Willard Gross and Gertrude Ladue Gross and her brother, Donald Gross. Formerly married to the late Rev. Damon Lawrence Getman, long-time rector of Trinity Episcopal Church, Claremont NH, Juni was happily married in her later years to the late Romeyn Hammond, a peaceful man who was brilliantly creative and a senior designer for Ford Motor Company.

In her earliest married years, Juni was innkeeper with her husband, Larry, at the Colgate Inn, Hamilton New York. Later they became the proud owner-managers of the Kingsboro Hotel in Gloversville New York. Mother of her first toddler, Juni became stricken with polio. Totally paralyzed, early prognoses anticipated that she would neither walk again nor bear more children. In a stunning show of life force, optimism, grit and determination, Juni tenaciously worked with her treatment team lead by Dr Edward Holcomb and Nancy, his wife and a nurse.

Refusing to concede to the disease that had fiercely overtaken her, she miraculously recovered fully to have two more children and to be fully mobile without assistance, skiing well into her later years as a committed volunteer of the Vermont Adaptive Ski and Sports Association.

Selling the hotel, Juni and her husband moved their young family to the Washington DC area. Following her husband’s ordination, as the wife of the rector for Transfiguration (Episcopal) Church in Colesville Maryland, Juni provided leadership in the building of this new church, serving on the Alter Guild, in the choir and as a youth group leader. She was also an active volunteer for years at the state run institution for developmentally delayed adults, engaging them with her brilliant smile and hugs every Thursday.

Throughout the sixties she was deeply involved in the Civil Rights Movement, in particular voter registration efforts in the South. An avid supporter of John F Kennedy and the work of Martin Luther King, she was active in the healing process throughout the crises triggered by their assassinations.

Later moving their family to Claremont NH, Juni worked as a special education teacher at Stevens High School in Claremont, NH learning American Sign Language and working with deaf and hearing impaired students.

Through her years in Claremont, Juni was an active volunteer with numerous associations aimed to supporting the full living of differently abled people. One such favorite event was the 100 Mile Endurance (Horse) Race to benefit adaptive sports programs. She sang every year with the long standing community chorale, Messiah Sing at Franklin Pierce College and never missed an opportunity to join voices lifted in joy.

Having moved to Westmoreland to make a new home with her beloved Romeyn, Juni became active in local, state and national politics. Thus, in her later years when many “retire” June wasn’t done trying to make the world a better place. She ran for political office and won, serving for two consecutive terms as Selectman for the town of Westmoreland NH. Her spirited enthusiasm, boundless energy, keen sense of social justice and friendly ways earned her the frequently used informal, honorific title of “Mayor.”

When she wasn’t enjoying a sugaring off or wine tasting, she was enjoying her role as Justice of the Peace, proudly officiating some of the first same sex marriages in the area.

During her years in the Keene area, she was a devoted parishioner at St. James Episcopal Church and an active member of the local P.E.0, an international association of women that supports “Women Reaching for the Stars.”

For all who knew her, June was the quintessential fan of the Boston Red Sox and New England Patriots. Most commonly attired in hats, shirts and scarfs of “her” teams, Juni was tirelessly optimistic but never short on opinions and advice for the players and coaches!

At the end of the day, Juni’s greatest pride and joy was her family. She showed up for all their events, baptisms and first communions, competitions and performances, graduations, Grandparents Days, holidays and ordinary picnics. “Family” was her everything. Her children, Susan Marie Getman, Laurence Winsor Getman and his wife Naomi and Peter Lee Getman and his wife Amanda brought her great happiness. Her grandchildren were her pride and joys, Joshua Peter, Christopher Michael, David James, Meaghan Katherine, Brendan Richard, Justin Peter, Julia May, Alexa Kate, Zoe June, Teak Winsor, Tatum Lee and Coville Groves. She delighted in her great grandchildren Windsor Ruth; Jackson Scott, and Bronwyn June.

She was the beloved “Auntie JuJu” to her nephew Frank and Ingrid Getman’s children, Margaret Jensen, Grace Winsor, Frances Christiansen, John Paul, and Isabelle Claire

Juni leaves other wonderful nephews and nieces, William Getman and his wife J Jaye, Mike Getman and his wife Ellen and Margaret Getman, Pamela Gross and Mary Lou Gross and grandnieces and nephews, John Ross, Luke Winsor, Jillian Jaye, Mark William, Sean Winsor, Ceili Jennifer, and Mary Margaret

Some time ago Juni quipped that on her tombstone it should say: “As she slid into home plate, she exclaimed, ‘Yippee that was a great ride.” She made it so.

There will be a Celebration of Life and Holy Eucharist at St Paul’s Church, Park Street, Concord NH (across from State House lawn) on Sunday, August 18 at 3 PM. with a reception to follow. All are welcome. (Please feel free to wear your favorite hat or cap!)

Flowers may be sent to St. Paul’s Church OR donations made to: Vermont Adaptive Ski and Sports Association. PO Box 139 Killington, Vermont 05751