Barry Marcellus Hamm's Obituary
U.S. Army Sergeant Major Barry Marcellus Hamm (Ret), 71, of Point Pleasant, WV, died Monday, May 16, 2022, at the Emogene Dolin Jones Hospice House in Huntington, WV. He was born July 26, 1950, in Bluefield, WV, son of the late William and Janique (Janie) Mills Hamm. He was also preceded in death by his step-father, Paul Bennett, and a sister-in-law, Mary Hamm. He was a Point Pleasant High School graduate, attended Marshall University and was a graduate of University of Charleston. Barry served in the U.S. Army for 26 years. At the time of his retirement, he was the West Virginia Operations Sergeant Major for recruiting. He was honored five times as West Virginia Recruiter of the Year, and was a U.S. Army Sergeants Major Academy graduate. His greatest pride was serving with his father, SFC William Hamm, and his brother, 1ST SGT. Jessie Hamm in the 3664th Maint Co (LDS) in Point Pleasant. Survivors include his wife Catherine who was the love of his life and best friend; his children Marci (Chad) Casto of Barboursville, WV and her children Elijah and Abbigail ; William Brian Hamm of Point Pleasant, WV and his children Jackson and Brianna (Blake) Linville and grandchildren Isaiah and Jameson Linville; Stephen (Rebecca) Hamm of Dacono, CO and his children Charlotte and Jake; Matthew (Maria) Hamm of Winston-Salem, NC and their children Vanessa, Guillermo (Yemo), and Jaxon; Brittany Renzi of Albuquerque, NM and her daughter Ada; stepsons Nicholas Braley of Greensboro, NC; and Colin Braley of Morgantown, WV. His grandchildren were the greatest joy of his life and he treasured every moment playing with them, talking and singing to them, and being their Grandpa Barry. Other survivors include his brother, Jessie Hamm, sister Linda (Boyd) Hodge, both of Point Pleasant, WV; mother-in-law Sara Adkins of Ona WV; two special cousins, Barbara Meadows May of Dublin, VA and Sandra Judd Brown of Huntington, WV; and two wonderful former exchange students Karim Ajroud of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and Luis Ruiz Munoz of Merida Yucatan, Mexico. Barry attended Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Point Pleasant, with his wife. He was assured of God's love and faithfulness. He desired that all of his family walk with God and, to that end, he petitioned God for their salvation. He and his wife are grateful for the guidance and teachings of Father Pen. They are also thankful for the chaplains who ministered to him and everyone who offered a prayer or sent well wishes. Special thanks to Union Chapel Church, Glenwood, WV for the veteran's prayer shawl. God's love and comfort is expressed in every act of kindness. He loved Marshall football, his wife's Wahama kids, his dog Reggie and cat Mr. B, war movies, and a good hotdog. His favorite times were driving back roads with his wife, exploring old cemeteries and historical sights, and never missing an opportunity to photograph the world around him. He was less tolerant of slow drivers, the odd dandelion that dare appear in his yard, and wearing a tie. He bad habits included waking the household by being exceedingly happy in the morning, dancing in stores, and believing every restaurant worker wanted to engage in long conversations. He never believed how much his family loved him, or the emptiness he would leave in their hearts with his passing.His wife would like to thank the Jackson and McCoy families for being such supportive neighbors, Mason County EMS and Pleasant Valley Hospital ER staff for their kindness, Dr. Mehiar El-Hamdani and his staff for helping add so many years to Barry's life, St. Mary's Medical Center ER trauma team and the nurses on Telemetry 2 for their compassion and care, and the staff at the Emogene Dolin Jones Hospice House for providing comfort in his final days. At his request, there will be no services. Burial will be at Rome Cemetery, Proctorville, OH. In lieu of flowers or memorials engage a child in a conversation about their world, build up someone with encouraging words, or go out in nature and thank God for being part of his creation.Hall Funeral Home and Crematory, Proctorville, OH, is assisting the family. Condolences may be made at ehallfuneralhome.com.
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