Alice Bautista Hammel passed away in El Paso, Texas on July 3rd, 2019 following a long illness. Born in El Paso, Texas on December 16th, 1934, she was the 3rd youngest of 14 children of Feliciano Bautista, who ran a tailor shop on Fort Bliss for many years and Delfina Duenas, both of Zacatecas, Mexico. Of the 14 children only 2 remain; Olga Santos and Humberto Bautista, both of El Paso. She attended Morehead grade school and graduated from El Paso High in 1953. She was a member of the Junior and Senior National Honor Society. She took Modern Dancing in High School where she developed her love of dancing throughout her life. She worked at Kresge’s downtown El Paso for a short time, received training to become a Comptometer operator and then worked for the El Paso Telephone Company until she met her husband, Ronald Hammel, an Air Force veteran stationed at Biggs Air Force Base. They were married at Our Lady of Guadalupe Church on August 11th, 1957, a marriage that continued for 61 years until her death. Shortly after her marriage, she began 17 years of moving around the country with her husband and building her family. In 1960 she lost her first son David, to Hyaline Membrane disease shortly after birth. In 1974, she returned to El Paso with her family helping her husband attain a degree at UTEP by working at various doctor’s offices and at Fort Bliss Civil Service where she received 3 financial rewards for meritorious service. In 2001, she lost her oldest daughter Cynthia, to a seizure. She is survived by her husband Ronald, a daughter Catherine Kent (Jeff) and two sons, Michael Hammel (Binda) and Martin Hammel (Jodi) all of Colorado Springs, Co. She is also survived by 7 grandchildren; Nick Hammel of El Paso; Ryann Warner and Eric, Ben and Philip Rivera, Matthew Hammel (Aurora) and Joshua Hammel, all of Colorado Springs and 4 great grandchildren; Gilbert Cangas of El Paso, Kiley and Maverick Rivera and Lilian Hammel of Colorado Springs. Viewing will be at Funeraria del Angel Restlawn, 8817 Dyer from 5:00 to 9:00 pm on Sunday, July 7, 2019. A mass will be offered at Blessed Sacrament Church at 12:30 pm on Monday, July 8th, 2019 followed by the procession to Fort Bliss National Cemetery. Following interment a Celebration of Life dinner will be held at Funeraria del Angel Restlawn.
