Doris Jo Hammer's Obituary
A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday, March 7, at Rader Funeral Home in Longview. A visitation will follow until 4 p.m.
Jo was born in Jefferson, Texas, on Dec. 27, 1949, to Eugene and Lucille Edwards. As an adult, she shared sweet memories with her children about her time in Jefferson, where she was a twirler and drum major and participated in theater and beauty pageants. She was also known to do some drag racing in her youth.
She met the love of her life, Clarence LaValle Hammer, when one of her brothers brought him home on leave from the Army. They married two weeks later, shortly before Clarence left for Vietnam.
Clarence was seriously injured in Vietnam, and Jo cared for him through his recovery and continued to love him as he struggled with mental illness following his time in the service. Clarence owned a paint and body shop, and Jo would often go and help him, sanding or masking cars he was preparing to paint.
They were married for 40 years before his death in 2009.
Jo was preceded in death by her beloved grandparents, Thomas (Tom) Leak and Eva Melinda Edwards; her parents; and her infant daughter, Jackie LaVita Hammer.
Jo and Clarence were always proud of the house they bought in the Pine Tree school district in Longview. That’s where they raised their six children – Craig, Jo Lee, Cody, Mickey, Sara and Jacob – and where Jo became a master at feeding that small army every day. She loved gardening and was proud of being able to grow, can and freeze vegetables that she used to prepare meals all year long.
Jo also was a talented seamstress who created beautiful clothing and formals, often working late into the night to finish her creations.
She loved working at the Longview Fire Department, and later, she loved driving a bus for Pine Tree ISD and then Longview Transit. She also returned to school and loved learning new skills.
Jo is survived by her children and their spouses: Craig and Anne Hammer; Jo Lee and Randy Ferguson; Cody and Katie Hammer; Mickey Hammer; Sara and Michael Snider; and Jacob and Morgan Hammer. She also is survived by her beloved brothers and sister and their spouses: Tommy and Millie Edwards; Marion Eugene Edwards Jr. and Alice Bower; and Vita and Charles Hammer. She also is survived by her nieces and nephews and their children.
She was especially proud to be a grandmother to Killian and Tavin Hammer; Elijah and Peter Ferguson; Eryn Snider; and Addison and Emma Hammer and Zoey Burt.
Memorial contributions may be made to Semper Fi and America's fund at https://thefund.org/
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