Jerry C. Hammack

Jerry C. Hammack, 90, peacefully left this earth to enjoy heaven's golf courses on May 28, 2024. He left holding the hand of the love of his life for more than 67 years, his wife Mary Jean.

He was born in 1933 in Boise, Idaho, to Barney and Mary Hammack. For the next 80+ years Jerry worked with hands that, like him, were larger than life. He worked as an electrician with his dad at 13 and at a gas station at 15. After graduating from high school he began a career at "the phone company" in Idaho before moving to Wyoming. He was a lineman, and an installer and managed key and PBX installation for AT&T for more than 30 years.

He and Mary Jean "retired" to Breckenridge, CO, in 1984, where he worked a variety of jobs – everything from manning a chain saw 10 hours per day to driving a massive dump truck and working at a bakery. He didn't "need" to work, he loved to work.

He could rebuild an engine or transmission, install or repair plumbing, hang drywall, lay carpet, and drive a motorcycle like a pro. He built two houses from the ground up and, in his later years, worked with his son to completely gut and rebuild homes throughout Fremont County. He never met a tool he couldn't master … or a ski run he wouldn't tackle.

While in Breckenridge, he and Mary Jean skied more than 50 times every year at ski areas from Colorado to California, Idaho to Utah, and Nevada. They moved to Lander when Breckenridge "got too crowded" in 1994.

In Lander, he took on four jobs, sometimes all at once – delivering cars for Fremont Motors, driving a school bus, working for Fremont Communications, and rebuilding homes. For Jerry, living in Lander for the last 30 years of his life was nirvana; spending time with his grandkids, snowmobiling with friends, hiking, and horseback riding into the Wind Rivers, camping, playing penny stocks at the casinos, reading Calvin & Hobbs comics, working with his son … and golf.

Jerry usually golfed from May through September, sometimes three or four days each week. For more than 20 years he lived only three blocks from the Lander golf course and would drive his golf cart "the back way" throughout the summer. He played courses in Arizona, California, Utah, Nevada, and all over Wyoming. They even celebrated Mary Jean's 80th birthday at the golf club.

But more than golf, more than working with his hands, more than enjoying the beauty of Lander and the Wind Rivers – more than anything – Jerry loved Mary Jean. He was absolutely, completely, and forever in love with her. They worked, raised three boys, traveled, skied, played at the casinos and, more importantly, they lived and loved together the entire time. People would remark "how cute they looked" holding hands as they walked together in their later years. It was the type of love that made family, friends, and even acquaintances, wish they could learn the secret.

But there were no secrets with Jerry, he was always there to help the family, no matter the circumstance and no matter where they lived. His oldest son would make a "Papa-do" list prior to a visit. His grandkids say that he was this larger-than-life figure; the kind of person people told stories about. His "gruff" voice, his massive hands and his amazing strength should have been intimidating, but instead, he was always so gentle.

He is survived by his wife Mary Jean, his children Steve, Dode, and Doug, nine grandchildren and 18 great-grandchildren. Jerry made his family promise not to hold a funeral for him. Instead, they'll celebrate his life later this summer and thank God every day for allowing them the joy of loving and being loved by Jerry Hammack.