Barbara Hamm

AIKEN, SC- Memorial services for Barbara T. Hamm, 88, of Aiken, SC will be held on Saturday, August 9, 2014 at Shellhouse Rivers Funeral Home, 715 East Pine Log Road in Aiken. There will be a visitation at 10 AM. The Rev. Eric Skidmore will lead the service at 11AM. Barbara was born in Van Nuys, California on July 24, 1925. She was the only child of Walker and Nina Thompson. Barbara was happily doted on and spoiled by her proud parents. She was raised to value education and learning and developed a lifelong love of music and the enlightening joy and never ending pleasure of reading. She loved to play the piano and her special musical talents were recognized at numerous public recitals during her high school years. She was awarded a music scholarship to Occidental College in Los Angeles at her high school graduation. World War II interrupted her early college years, but she remained determined to earn her college degree. Years later, she returned to college and earned her BA degree in English and Library Science, with honors, from the University of Southern Mississippi at the same time her older daughter, Sharon, earned her BA in English from the University of Arizona and her older son, Steven, graduated from Hattiesburg High School. Joseph G. Hamm was the great love of Barbara's life. Barbara and Joe moved many times around the United States while raising their four children as Joe served his country as a navigator and then worked in the aerospace industry focusing on rocket propulsion systems that took man to the moon. Barbara and Joe returned to California after Barbara earned her BA to teach school and start her library career and Joe began his teaching career at Northrup Institute of Technology. Barbara served as the school librarian at Canyon High School for over twenty years and was able to keep a close eye on her younger son, Gordon, and her younger daughter, Sally, during their high school years. Gordon and Sally claimed for years that their mother seemed to know about anything and everything during their years at Canyon High. Throughout her life, Barbara was active in many different organizations. She was a member of P.E.O., a happy singer with Sweet Adelines, Order of Eastern Star, church groups, organist and pianist for church worship services, Sunday School teacher and as a proud member of the D.A.R. As a high school librarian, Barbara was active at the state level and served as President of the California Association of High School Librarians. Barbara was blessed by The Lord in many ways in her long life and the family would like to thank everyone at Harbor Chase for their loving care. Survivors include her sons Steve and Debra Hamm of Columbia and Gordon Hamm of West Columbia, her daughter Sharon Bayles Johnson and Tom of Aiken. She had five grandchildren and six great granddaughters and one great grandson. SHELLHOUSE-RIVERS FUNERAL HOME, 715 E. PINE LOG RD., AIKEN, SC. Visit the online registry www.shellhouseriversfuneralhome.com To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Barbara Hamm, please visit our flower store.