Captain David William Hammel, 74, a 40 year resident of Dinwiddie County, Virginia, died November 3, 2015 at St. Mary’s Hospital, Richmond, Virginia, as a result of sudden cardiac arrest.

Born in Cincinnati, Ohio, Dave was the eldest of the eight children of Henry Franklin West Hammel and Jane Elizabeth Beckett Hammel. Dave grew up outside of Cincinnati, in Locust Corner, Ohio with his brothers and sisters. He was a leader and role model for Elizabeth Jane Hammel, Margaret Hammel Robbins, Robert Hammel, Daniel Hammel, the late Harry “Westy” Hammel, the late April Hammel Krowiak, and Sherry Hammel Earhart.

After graduating in 1959, valedictorian of his class, from New Richmond High School, New Richmond, Ohio, where he lettered in four sports, Dave attended General Motors Institute in Flint, Michigan. He later graduated, in 1967, from Miami University, Oxford, Ohio, where he majored in the new field of Systems Analysis.

Dave served his country honorably and well with twenty years combined service in the Marine Corps and US Army. As an enlisted Marine, he was selected for the Naval Enlisted Scientific Education Program, NESEP, which enabled him to complete his college degree and receive a commission as a 2nd Lt in the United States Marine Corps. He served in Vietnam, Okinawa and Korea as well as on numerous bases and posts in the USA, including Ft Lee, where he was an instructor at the Army Logistics Management Center. After retiring from active duty, Dave started another career with the Federal Government, as a professional logistician. Among other positions, he developed software for the Army supply system. He retired again, or as he liked to say, “retired, retired” in 1996 after completing a total of 44 years service to his country.

Dave and his wife of 50 years, Janet Hartman Hammel, met and were married at the First Methodist Church in San Diego, California. Dave’s greatest joy and the pride of his life was his family. He was a loving husband, and he was a devoted and fun- loving father to his three children, Sara Elizabeth Hammel McNamara, and his twin sons, Scott West Hammel, and Eric David Hammel. He loved being a grandfather. He spent a lot of time teaching, playing with, and attending the activities of his eleven grandchildren. He often said, “If I had known that being a grandfather would be this much fun, I would have had them first!”. The grandchildren have fond memories of the time he spent with them and the many things he taught them. The grandchildren are Caitlin, Ellie, Lindsay and Ryan, the children of Sara and Mike McNamara,Tyler, John Austin and Annie, the children of Eric and Patti Hammel, and Michael, Daniel, Margaret and Evelyn, the children of Scott and Julie Hammel.

Whenever his family, neighbors and friends needed help, Dave was the “go to guy”. He could do anything he set his mind to and had ALL the tools to do the jobs! He tore down an old barracks at Ft. Lee in the 1980’s and built a family room and large garage for the family home. He enjoyed growing large vegetable gardens, working on cars, outdoor activities and spending time with his family. He coached football and basketball for the Rohoic Elementary School teams. At Chester Christian Church, he was a deacon, Sunday School teacher, and church treasurer for many years. After his second retirement, Dave often spent time at his cottage and tree farm in Brunswick County, gardening, chopping firewood, ‘coon hunting and sitting on the front porch, enjoying the peace and quiet of the land, with his dog, Mae. He always said that he was a “country boy.”

A memorial service for Dave was held on November 21, 2015 at Chester Christian Church, Chester, Virginia. Captain Hammel was buried, with full military honors, on December 28, 2015 at the Virginia Veterans Cemetery in Amelia Courthouse, Virginia.

Donations in Dave’s honor may be sent to Crater Community Hospice, 3916 Crater Road, Petersburg, VA 23805 or to Chester Christian Church, 4330 Curtis Street, Chester, VA 23831.