James Hammerberg

Family funeral services for James Hughes Hammerberg of Mountain Home, Arkansas, will be 2:00 PM Friday, April 30, 2010 at Kirby & Family Funeral Home Chapel, with Reverend Randy Ludwig officiating. Visitation will be from 7:00 PM until 8:00 PM, Thursday, April 29, 2010 at the funeral home. James died Sunday, April 25, 2010 at Pine Lane Health Care, at the age of 84. He was born February 22, 1926 in Chicago, Illinois, the son of Axel and Katharine Millikin Hammerberg. He attended school in Oak Park, Illinois and was a graduate of Monmouth College with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Geology and was a certified Gemologist. He was a member of the Theta Chi Fraternity, member of the American Gem Society and former member of Oak Park and Wheaton, Illinois Kiwanis. James was a U.S. Navy veteran of WWII, serving from 1944 - 1946. He was President of Hammerberg, Inc. from 1948-1971 and a Jewelry Retail Associate at Sears from 1971 - 1986. He lived in Mountain Home, Arkansas since 1989 moving from Wheaton, Illinois. He loved all music, the outdoors, boating and had a tremendous sense of humor. James is survived by his wife, Rosalie Hammerberg, 2 daughters, Carol (Brad) Routh of Phoenix, AZ and Karen (Rich) Walker of Farmington, MN; son-in-law, Charles Willyard of LaFayette, NY; 6 grandchildren, Jim (Brandy) Routh of Austin, TX, Joshua Routh of Phoenix, AZ, Matt Willyard of Tallahassee, FL, Dr. Cori (Jeremy) Veatch of Phoenix, AZ, Sarah Walker of Burnsville, MN and Christine Willyard of Washington, DC; 2 great-grandchildern, Sammy Routh and Finneas Veatch; 1 nephew, Robert (Linda) Schuster of Canoga Park, CA; and 1 niece, Charyl Patterson of Woodland Hills, CA. He was preceded in death by his parents and daughter, Katharine Willyard and 2 sisters, Jean Hammerberg and Charlotte Schuster . Entombment will be in the Kirby's Tucker Memorial Mausoleum. Memorials may be made to First United Methodist Church or Pine Lane Healthcare. Rosalie and the family would like to thank the staff of Pine Lane Healthcare for their compassionate care for Jim and Rosalie this past year. Arrangements are by Kirby & Family Funeral & Cremation Services.