Calvin Lee Hamm

HAMM, Calvin Lee

Calvin Lee Hamm was born September 26, 1962 in Edmonton AB. He was adopted by Leonard and Bertha Hamm of Devon,  AB. They had five children of their own and Calvin made an even ½ dozen. They moved to Kamloops, BC where most of Cal’s childhood memories were made, then to the acreage by Mission, BC. Calvin moved to Didsbury in September 1979 to work for Kuelker’s Manufacturing for Clem Kuelker. His Uncle Adolf Neufeld got him a job there! Shortly after he met Rhonda Ness, they were married April 4, 1981. Calvin was 18 and Rhonda was 17. Two sons completed the family, Kyle Kenneth in 1985, and Kurtis Alan in 1988. Most of their married life was spent in Didsbury.

Calvin was a journeyman welder and later became a Journeyman Machinist. His most amazing gift was to design and then build whatever he was working/thinking  on. In 1998, Cal started Wild Rose Machining which he owned and operated for 9 years. In 2009 we found Cal’s biological family and he was thankful for the opportunity to meet as many as he had. He loved camp fires, camping, fishing, hunting, quading, argoing and Rhonda, his family and spending time with friends. He was an interesting mix of tough and tender.

Calvin had a heart attack on February 5 and he was taken to Foothills CICU. Despite all the efforts of the medical staff, Calvin never regained consciousness. He will be dearly missed. HE leaves to mourn his loving wife, Rhonda; sons, Kyle (Taren) Hamm of Olds, Kurtis Hamm (Natalie Lawson) of Didsbury; granddaughters, Bella and Dakota of Olds; grandson, Sawyer of Didsbury; adopted sons, Chrisopher Craig of Didsbury, Cody (Amanda) Craig of Olds, and their children, Kaiden, Rylan, Autumn ( Calvin called her “Fall”); his siblings, Emil Hamm of Abbotsford, BC, Ruby (Larry) Reynolds of Kamloops, BC, Pauline Johnson (Ron Nikkel) of Chilliwack, BC, Homer (Ivona) Hamm of Kamloops, BC, Bernard (Cathy) Hamm of Mission, BC; his biological father, Terry (Colleen) Vail of Surrey; siblings, Carmen Macbach of Vancouver, April Vail (Ingmar) of Chilliwack , Susan Vail (Rob) of Penticton,  Dan ( Jody) Vail, and Sarah Vail; Aunt, Joan (Charlie) Mingo of Milo, AB; brother, Jay (Shirley) Chahley of Red Deer; sister, Debra (Stephen) Savage of Edmonton; mother-in-law, Mary Ness of Olds AB; brother-in-law, Chuck (Josee’) Payne of Port Sydney, ON; as well as numerous nieces nephews cousins and friends just like family.

Cal was predeceased by his parents, Leonard and Bertha Hamm; his biological mother, Donna(Leroy) Chahley; father-in-law, Clarence Ness and sister-in-law, Rita Payne.

A Celebration of Life was held at the Zion Evangelical Missionary Church, on Friday, February 19, 2016 at 2:00 PM.

In lieu of flowers donation's in Calvin's memory may be made to:

Heart and Stroke, 200-119 14 Street NW,  Calgary, Alberta T2N 1Z6.