Bom-Wrapper

Melvin Hammer
Memorial Candle Tribute From
Am Israel Mortuary
"We are honored to provide this Book of Memories to the family."
View full message >>>

Life Story for Melvin "Mel" Hammer

Melvin "Mel"  Hammer
Melvin passed away peacefully in his sleep after succumbing to late stage pancreatic and liver cancer. He was a Valentine’s Day baby and had just turned 89 years old, but you would never know it.

He was born Melvin Hammerschlak (Hammer),to Nathan and Lilian Hammerschlak, and raised in Cleveland, Ohio and graduated from East Technical High School in 1945. He joined the Navy before he met the love of his life, Aileen, on a blind date and kept the love and marriage going strong for 62 years. He was an extremely hard working man who was in the top of his field in executive management in Cleveland. He literally never missed a day of work except for a medical emergency. Mel was a devoted family man and an active member of his synagogue and the Knights of Pythias, both in Cleveland and in San Diego, where he moved his family in 1975. He eventually owned his own company, Smiths Sewing Machine Company, and Mel genuinely enjoyed treating every one of his customers like gold. He was the most honest, trustworthy, humble, dignified man you’ll ever meet and he never complained a day in his life except at the bitter end, because he was unable to go to work at Home Depot to be with his second family. Mel was there to support and care for his four kids at every celebration and every challenge. He was a very grateful father and deeply loved his children. He was extremely proud of their morals and their successes in life and love. He was a very wise man of numerous abilities and also a veracious reader of many authors and genres. He also loved his Sunday Football games and his Law and Order episodes. He and Aileen traveled the world in their many years of marriage with grand trips to the Greek Isles and a fabulous China cruise, to the land of Israel, Spain and Mexico. He loved to take us all as young kids down to Miami Beach, Florida every summer and we have some the very greatest memories of a dad who was one of a kind. Mel was an old school, depression era child who actually learned to drive a bread truck at 12 years old. He inevitably turned into one of the greatest dads of all time. He was strict, but kind, stubborn but understanding. He truly was a very independent soul and was active all throughout his later years and especially loved to work with the people at Home Depot these last two decades plus. He will be missed beyond any measure by his family and dear friends, especially his closest friends of over 40 years, that practically never missed a dinner on Friday nights up until last month when his health failed him. May he be in eternal peace with his beloved wife and wonderful son. He was a very special man indeed. We love you Pop. Now you can rest.




In lieu of flowers, the family suggests that you make a donation to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
stjude.org

Recently Shared Condolences

Recently Shared Stories

Recently Shared Photos

Share by: