Wayne Hamar, age 87

Wayne Hamar

March 26, 1928 - Dec. 14, 2015
Wayne Hamar, age 87, of Long Valley, S.D., died on Monday, Dec. 14, 2015, at the Bennett County Hospital in Martin.
Wayne Kenneth Hamar was born March 26, 1928, in Valentine, Neb., the son of Samantha (Wallace) Hamar and Lawrence (Nels) Hamar. Wayne worked milking cows in order to pay room and board so he could attend high school. He graduated from Ainsworth (Neb) High School in 1945 and was the first in his family to graduate from high school. 
After high school, Wayne enlisted into the Army Air Corps and took his basic training at Fort Leavenworth, Kan., and with additional training in Buckley Field in Denver, Colo., where Wayne’s grandson, Luke Hamar, also took his training. Wayne was trained in remote control turret mechanics and was subsequently stationed at the Panama Canal as a member of the 414th Night Fighter Squadron worked on P-61 Night Fighters.
Wayne was united in marriage to Vivian Huisman on Sept. 18, 1948, at Hope Lutheran Church in South Sioux City. In the spring of 1949, they moved to Long Valley, where their first home was a sod house. In August of 1949, their first child, Darla Gene, was born. In January 1950, they moved to the Bar Five Ranch owned by Henry and Kate Zickrick, which Wayne later bought. In August, 1952, Michael Wayne was born, followed by Debra Lynne in July of 1958.
Wayne was one of the founders of Our Savior’s Lutheran Church. He served 15 years on his local draft board, 12 years on the co-op board in Martin, and he served with Vivian for the local 4-H club, was on the FMHA board. 
During Wayne’s younger years, he was an active participate in local baseball games, he loved to dance and enjoyed visiting with people and had a wonderful sense of humor. When he and Vivian went shopping you could always find him at the benches in the front of the store visiting with his newest friend. 
Survivors include one son, Michael Hamar and his wife, Patty, Long Valley; two daughters, Darla Weisbeck and Deb Svasek and her husband, Ron, Lincoln, Neb.; six grandchildren; 15 great-grandchildren; and two great-great-grandchildren; one brother, Clair Hamar and his wife, Vera, Jackson, Neb.; one sister, Bonnie Stewart, Willis, Texas; and a host of other relatives and friends.
Wayne was preceded in death by his parents, two brothers, Darold and Dale Hamar, and his beloved wife, Vivian.
Services were held Monday, Dec. 21, at the Bennett County Activities Center in Martin, with Pastor Lauren Ley officiating.
Interment with military honors was held Monday at Mt. Hope Cemetery in Valentine, Neb.
Arrangements were with Rush Funeral Home of Philip.

The Pioneer Review

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