Grace W. (Simpkins) Hamm, 97, formerly of Green Lane and recently of Burnsville, NC, widow of Walter D. Hamm, passed away Saturday, April 19, 2014 at Charles George VA Medical Center, Asheville, NC.
Born in Audubon, NJ, she was the daughter of the late Warren J. and Hazel J. (Hitner) Simpkins.
After graduating from Temple University Hospital School of Nursing in 1938, she served as a 1st Lieutenant during World War II in the US Army Nursing Corps in England, France, Spain and Italy and after VE day, in Hawaii. She worked as a Nursing supervisor at the former Pennhurst State School & Hospital for the Mentally Retarded and returned to Temple University for a BS in Nursing Education in 1956. She received her Master’s degree in Psychiatric Nursing Education from the University of Pennsylvania in 1966, and thereafter taught nursing at Norristown State Hospital, retiring in 1975.
She enjoyed crossword puzzles, singing and playing her organ, and working on the family farm in Green Lane where she was an avid gardener. She was equally good at pies and animal care as well as driving and maintaining tractors, trucks and other farm machinery.
She will be sadly missed by her children, Patricia and Karen; 14 grandchildren and 30 great-grandchildren.
In addition to her husband and parents, she was predeceased by two stepsons, Gordon Hamm and Walter O. Hamm, Jr.; two brothers, Harry and Warren Simpkins and four sisters, Florence Seasholtz, Ilah Fisher, Dorothy Schneider, and Hazel Brooks.
Memorial contributions may be made in her memory to St. John’s Lutheran Church, 3104 Main Street, Sumneytown, where a funeral service was held Friday, April 25, 2014.
Born in Audubon, NJ, she was the daughter of the late Warren J. and Hazel J. (Hitner) Simpkins.
After graduating from Temple University Hospital School of Nursing in 1938, she served as a 1st Lieutenant during World War II in the US Army Nursing Corps in England, France, Spain and Italy and after VE day, in Hawaii. She worked as a Nursing supervisor at the former Pennhurst State School & Hospital for the Mentally Retarded and returned to Temple University for a BS in Nursing Education in 1956. She received her Master’s degree in Psychiatric Nursing Education from the University of Pennsylvania in 1966, and thereafter taught nursing at Norristown State Hospital, retiring in 1975.
She enjoyed crossword puzzles, singing and playing her organ, and working on the family farm in Green Lane where she was an avid gardener. She was equally good at pies and animal care as well as driving and maintaining tractors, trucks and other farm machinery.
She will be sadly missed by her children, Patricia and Karen; 14 grandchildren and 30 great-grandchildren.
In addition to her husband and parents, she was predeceased by two stepsons, Gordon Hamm and Walter O. Hamm, Jr.; two brothers, Harry and Warren Simpkins and four sisters, Florence Seasholtz, Ilah Fisher, Dorothy Schneider, and Hazel Brooks.
Memorial contributions may be made in her memory to St. John’s Lutheran Church, 3104 Main Street, Sumneytown, where a funeral service was held Friday, April 25, 2014.
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