SALLY EVEYLN HAMM

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SALLY EVEYLN HAMM

January 22, 1949 - June 27, 2024

The following is the story of my dash. Born at St. Boniface Hospital to Hugh and Pauline McColl. Sister, Patricia, died March 1, 1958, at age six. Lived in Edmonton, Kingston, Ottawa and Shilo plus other places along the way as my dad was a civil engineer in the Canadian Army. My father was a remarkable man and an avid golfer. Grandma McColl was always there for me and watched out for me.

On December 18, 1971, I married Tex, the love of my life. On September 5, 2013, I had to say my final goodbye to him. Now, I am with my beloved Tex again. My daughters have been wonderful in filling my time but I have missed my Tex so much because he left such a big void!

I leave behind three beloved daughters, Sheila, Bonnie (Gene), Cyndi and my two grandsons, David and Jackson. On July 14, 2013, I was predeceased by my son-in-law, Sean McElmoyle. Sheila and Sean gave me my two wonderful grandsons who always cheered me up when they came over.

The best summer of my youth was spent working as a waitress at the golf course in Clear Lake in 1966 - Danceland, ‘60s bands – what more could a 16-year-old girl ask for. I moved to Winnipeg on July 1, 1967, to live in the same rooming house that my Aunt Helen had lived in when she was single and working. We both met the loves of our lives while living there. I met Tex on December 3, 1968. He was like nobody else I had ever met and when he finally proposed to me on February 25, 1971, I felt like the luckiest girl alive. We were married on December 18, 1971, and thus began our life together, ups and downs and everything else thrown in.

Over the years, I worked as an accountant, typed at home, worked at Sears and at Health Sciences Centre where I worked in the ever-popular Parking Office, my favourite place. I had fabulous co-workers and although we worked above and beyond, we had such fun!

Our three daughters played baseball, volleyball and basketball and they didn’t have more enthusiastic cheerleaders than myself and Tex. Any time a scorekeeper was needed, my hand was up and it was my job forever, but I loved it!

Once our girls were out on their own, Tex and I started travelling and what good times we had! Tex didn’t like to fly but we drove everywhere. Some of my favourite holidays were driving to the Yukon and Alaska, spending a week in Lancaster, Pennsylvania (Amish country) where Tex decided I wouldn’t have made a very good Amish wife, and visiting Tennessee (Memphis - Graceland of course and Nashville - Grand Ole Opry at the Ryman). I knit wherever we drove and if I started to tell him how to drive, he would say, “Woman, get back to your knitting!”

My hobby was knitting and I could have started a store with all the yarn I had. Many a baby has a blanket and apple hat knit by me. When my grandsons got new bedding, I had to knit an afghan to match. At one point in time, I had my wool in totes in a Jacuzzi tub because we didn’t have a basement anymore. I couldn’t have asked for a more tolerant husband than Tex because he would sit for two hours playing music in his truck while I shopped in Hobby Lobby and not once did he ever mention all the yarn that was at home in the tub when I came out with a cart so full of yarn that I couldn’t see over top. (That made up for all the tools that he bought at Canadian Tire that he never used but they sure were a good deal!) My knitting kept me going during those long evenings after my Tex was gone. My Aunt Helen and I shared a passion for knitting and if one of us was feeling down, all we had to do was mention yarn and we perked right up, forgetting everything else.

I was also very fortunate to have had good friends who continued to call me after Tex died. My daily phone calls with Cyndi were a godsend and I don’t think she realized how often her voice cheered me up. She and I had so many laughs, many resulting in tears from laughing so hard. I don’t know how I could have managed moving on without her. We had such good times shopping - we were dangerous when we got on a roll! When Sheila sent me pictures of her cakes, I was truly in awe of her talent - don’t know where she got it from! Bonnie and I had our annual Father’s Day shopping for garden flowers - it helped both of us get through the day. David and Jackson were awesome grandsons and very tolerant of their grandma as she lost some of her mobility! I treasured David’s phone calls when he was out walking - sometimes we had conversations that became quite animated. We certainly didn’t agree on a lot of things! The beauty of our relationship was that he kept calling me!



And I must not forget Molly, our dog, who but for her I don’t know if I would have found a lot of motivation to carry on after Tex died, especially walking every morning. One could not ask for a better friend! I lost her on December 21, 2016 - life became a lot more lonely.

I managed to squeeze in some more holiday trips - Disneyworld, Victoria and New Orleans with Cyndi and Hawaii with Bonnie (no, Tex, there is still no road to Hawaii) as well as the Black Hills where we left a sizable contribution to the local economy. What fun we had! Over the years, Bonnie and I managed to leave our donations at the casinos every now and then! So happy that Cyndi and I saw her whales in Victoria - they were awesome.

I have to thank Bonnie for having the confidence to let me help her at tax time and throughout the year (have to keep the grey matter working!) My son-in-law, Gene, gave me suppers he had made. Gene, I will look down and chuckle when you start to repeat some of my more memorable moments! Gene always said I was very opinionated - I don’t know where he got that from! However, he always made me feel welcome and I thank him for that. I treasured our many talks about cooking. I loved all the care packages he brought over. Ever so thoughtful they were always in portions for me.

I have had a good life and would not have changed anything. That is all a person can ask for when it is time to leave this earth and rejoin loved ones who have gone on before.

If you must bury something let it be my faults and my weaknesses.

To remember me, do it with a kind deed or word to someone who needs you.

If you do all I have asked, I will live forever.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the St. Boniface Hospital.

NEIL BARDAL

FUNERAL CENTRE

204-949-2200

neilbardalinc.com

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As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Jul 06, 2024, Jul 06, 2024