Serena Gertrude Hammer Obituary (1918

Serena Hammer, 88, of Leawood, KS passed away Friday, July 27, 2007 at Kansas City Hospice House. Funeral services will be 10:30am Sunday, July 29, at The Louis Memorial Chapel, 6830 Troost Avenue. Kindly omit flowers, the family suggests contributions to Beth Shalom Synagogue, Kansas City Hospice House or a charity of one’s choice. Mrs. Hammer, a lifelong resident of the Kansas City area graduated from Manual High School. She was a certified comptometer operator, the predecessor of today’s computer. During World War II she was employed in the accounting office of Cities Service Oil Company. In 1943, she married the love of her life, Louis Hammer. She and her husband, Louie, along with his partner, Eugene Glenn, formed the Hammer and Glenn Company, a pioneer in the mail order catalog business. After retiring from their business, she was employed by First American Insurance Co. Mrs. Hammer was a lifelong member of Beth Shalom Synagogue and volunteered in the synagogue’s administrative office for many years. She was a life member of the Beth Shalom Sisterhood board and served in several treasury capacities. She was also a member of Brandeis National University Women’s Council and the Red Hat Society. Mrs. Hammer was preceded in death in 1997, by her husband of 54 years, Louis ”Louie” Hammer. She is survived by her son and daughter-in-law: Hanan and Natalie Hammer, Leawood, KS, daughter and son-in-law: Elaine and Paul Friedman, St. Louis. MO; grandchildren: Rachel and Ben Warner, Leawood, KS; Deborah and Peter Katai, Chicago, IL; Kara Friedman, Atlanta, GA and Benjamin and Allison Friedman, St. Louis, MO; She is also survived by her great-grandchildren Mason and Lucy Warner and Lindsay and Zachary Katai. Mrs. Hammer was the last surviving family member of her generation and was preceded in death by her parents, Abe and Rosie Tabolsky, her five brothers and one sister.