Barry R. Hammond Obituary (1945 - 2020)

Barry R. Hammond, 75, of Butler, died Friday, August 7, 2020, in the ICU at Butler Hospital. Born March 23, 1945, in Easton, PA, he was the son of the late Lafayette Hammond and Annis Underwood Hammond. He graduated from Easton High School in 1963, and from Dickinson College in 1967, then from the University of Pittsburgh, where he earned a PhD in Political Science. He started teaching Political Science at Slippery Rock University in 1969. He also created and taught undergraduate and graduate programs in Public Administration during his 35-year tenure at SRU. He was active, especially at the state level, in the faculty union (APSCUF). He was also an active member of the national Public Administration educators association. He enjoyed challenging all his students to develop critical thinking skills, and he made a special effort, inspired by the quiet example of his Mother, a Quaker, to encourage female students to pursue non-traditional careers. He spent time in Italy, first as an undergraduate, later doing research on Italian politics. When he traveled, Barry enjoyed places where he could learn more about cultures, history, geography and geology, including Alaska, Australia, New Zealand, and National Parks within the continental USA. He poured equal intensity into physical pursuits like tennis. He learned to sail on Lake Arthur, then graduated to keeping a boat on Chesapeake Bay. He competed in several Annapolis-to-Bermuda races with friends he had made racing at Lake Arthur, but most of his Chesapeake time was spent cruising. Later he began golfing at St. Jude in Chicora, where he developed a new set of friends, who enriched his life with their competitive humor and diverse backgrounds. Barry is survived by his wife of 53 years, Debbie, his older brother, Nelson, his nephew Christopher (wife Angela), and two great nieces, Eva and Isla Hammond. He was also close to many surviving in-laws, including two brothers-in-law, Dan (Christina) & Tim (Geri) Eno, two sisters-in-law, Marty Tollefsen & Becky Eno, five nieces & nephews (Tracey & John Eno, Alison Sprankle, Albert &, Andrew Tollefsen) and six great nieces & nephews (Krissy, Ella & Abby Sprankle, Andrew & Alden Tollefsen, and Ashley Hall). They learned to appreciate his ability to be obstinate and his consistent complaining. Like an injured great horned owl at Deep Creek, MD, which the family decided was Barry's "spirit animal", he enjoyed being "cranky, with attitude". He was preceded in death by his younger sister, Patricia. The family thanks the staff at Butler Hospital, especially ICU staff, for their excellent care of Barry, both 2 years ago when they got him through a five-month battle with treatment-resistant pneumonia, and more recently during his battle with ulcerative colitis. Two of his recent ICU nurses, Jen and Diana, plus Peggy from housekeeping, celebrated a small reunion with Barry when they realized all three of them had enjoyed interactions when Barry first entered ICU in December, 2017. It was a lovely bright spot before a cascade of additional medical problems ended his life. We also wish to express special gratitude to Dr. Mark Provenzano and Dr. John Love, who treated Barry during both series of ICU hospitalizations. We have continuing gratitude to Barry's PCP, Dr. Kevin Leighton, who has cared for Barry for decades with knowledge, patience and humor, all of which Barry himself greatly enjoyed and appreciated. Any donations in memory of Barry can be made to Butler Health System, Dickinson College, the University of Pittsburgh, Slippery Rock University, or to any institution of higher learning. Arrangements were handled by Thompson-Miller Funeral Home, 124 E. North Street, Butler, PA 16001.