Beatrice Irene Hammett

Beatrice Irene Hammett April 22, 1906 – March 13, 2002 Mrs. Hammett Mam, to family passed away peacefully in Waco with her loved ones by her side on Wednesday March 13, 2002 at the age of 95. She was born on April 22, 1906 in Plymouth, England. She was a life long resident of Plymstock, Plymouth until Thanksgiving Day 1995 when she traveled with her only daughter, Dee Blinka, and son-in-law, Wayne Blinka, to their home in Golinda, Texas where she spent her remaining six years. Mrs. Hammett lost her mother Ann Goss when she was four years old, and her father John Goss was killed during World War I at the Battle of Jutland in 1916 when she was only ten years of age. She was a survivor of both World Wars. She married Edward George Hammett in May 1926 and had one child, Deirdre Dee Blinka. She worked as a pharmacy assistant during World War II, later became a full time homemaker, and cared for her husband during a long illness in the last ten years of his life. An avid gardener, especially after she was widowed in 1981, she was known for her beautiful gardens where flowers bloomed year round. She was proud that the flowers there were raised from seed only—rarely, if ever, from plants. When she left England in November 1995 she left behind a few remaining relatives, including her nephew Tony Hammett. She stayed in touch with Tony and a great many kind and loving neighbors until her death. She grew to love the whole Blinka family, especially her great friend Lois Blinka and her late husband Charles. She also loved her friends and neighbors in the Waco area and liked to speak with them about her life in England. Mrs. Hammett was especially proud of her two grandchildren. Her grandson, Simon Stanley, is an engineer. He and his wife Beth, a computer drafter, live in Harrison, Tennessee. Her granddaughter, Mary Boitumelo Stanley, is an attorney in Dallas, Texas. A great joy also were visits from her half sister Gladys Duggan, her nephew Alan Duggan and his wife Carol, of Vancouver, Canada. Letters from her surviving nephew Tony Hammett in Leeds, England, also brought her great happiness. She was a member of Central Presbyterian Church in Waco. In her years in Golinda, Mrs. Hammett took great care of her daughter’s and son-in-law’s four dogs, who were also her four loving companions. She said she had reinvented herself as a kennel maid. Following cremation, a private outdoor memorial service will be held in the woods near her home. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that those who wish to honor Mrs. Hammett make a donation to the Animal Shelter of Waco, or Fuzzy Friends Rescue of Waco. She had great love for Dr. Kyle Ballew and his staff, who provided ongoing care and friendship during her years in the Waco area. The family would like to express their deep gratitude and admiration for the nurses and staff of St. Catherine Center of Waco and to Dr. Marty Kinard who cared for Mrs. Hammett with much dedication and love in her last days. WILKIRSON-HATCH-BAILEY