Jack Clifford (Bud) Hammack
Our beloved Bud went to be with our Savior on Saturday, May 9, 2015, surrounded by his loving wife Charlotte and family. Born January 13, 1932 in Seattle, Bud lived a full and wonderful life, leaving behind the fingerprint of his love on his children Steve, Cheryl (Claude) and Pat (Sue); grandchildren Nathan (Heather), Ashley (Gregory), Tiara (Karim), AJ, Cassie (Kevin), Sherry and Jill; great-grandchildren Mackenzie, Nathaniel, Parker, Elijah, Austin and Jack. Bud also leaves behind brothers Jim (Janet) and Jerry (Fran), sister Lois (Bob), and sister-in-law Patricia Sherry. He is also survived by many nieces and nephews.
Bud made the most of every opportunity in life. Meeting the love of his life at the tender age of 10, he and his “Annie” cherished 62 years of marriage.
Memories from Charlotte: “Most of us know him as Bud, so I will call him Bud now. Bud was my loving husband for 62 years. We met at Van Asselt Grade School in Seattle in 1942 when we were both in 5th grade. I can still picture him standing out on the playfield the very first day he came to school. He had such perfect posture I went home that day and told my folks about the new boy who stood so straight! He claimed that he remembered me coming up and saying hello to him and introducing myself to him. We went through Cleveland High School together. We had our first date (I asked HIM) to our band party when we were Juniors. He was very shy, very cute, and all the girls had a crush on him. The night of our graduation from Cleveland, he asked me if I would like to go to a party with him at one of his friend’s parent’s home. Of course I was thrilled and went. After graduation Bud attended the University of Washington for a short time, but then decided to leave and join the Air Force. He called me and asked me if I would go with him to the Greyhound Bus Depot in Seattle to see him off for his Basic Training in Texas. His Mom and Dad and I were there together, and I was already falling in love with his family as well as Bud. While he was away I would go over and spend weekends with the Hammacks. He was sent from Lackland Air Force Base to Goosebay, Labrador. Back then we didn’t have email, cell phones, etc. We each had a wire recorder and would send wires back and forth; and letters every day, too. Bud proposed to me in a letter, and as soon as I said YES, he sent a letter to my parents asking their permission to marry me. We were engaged on Valentine’s Day in 1952 and then married August 23, 1952. Soon after that God blessed us with our first son, Steve on June 1, 1953. We were blessed again with our daughter, Cheryl on December 21, 1956, and blessed AGAIN with Patrick on December 30, 1958. Bud was the most loving husband any woman could ever have. Every single day he would tell me over and over how beautiful I was, or how pretty, or how good my hair looked. I was so blessed with his love.”
Throughout those years together, Bud spent time in the Air Force as a Staff Sargent, worked as an FBI agent, served as a special agent for the IRS Criminal Division, and was a partner as a Certified Public Accountant. He loved the discipline of exercise, biking, jogging, fishing, boating, golfing and spending time with his faithful companion dogs (Toy, Misty, Bonnie, Ben and Sammy). In the 1980’s, he ascended Mt. Rainier and completed the Seattle to Portland bike ride numerous times. Bud was a huge UW Husky fan, having held football season tickets for over 50 years, and many years following the men’s basketball team.
Bud’s faith in Jesus Christ played a vital role in his daily life. He took the opportunity to share the love of his Savior with many people, serving as an Elder at Crossroads Bible Church in Bellevue. Bud passed along his love of God to his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. It is with great confidence that each of us know that Bud was met by Jesus hearing the words, “Well done, faithful servant. You have fought the good fight, you have finished the race and you have kept the faith.”
A Memorial Service to celebrate Bud’s life will be held on Thursday, June 18, at Crossroads Bible Church, 15815 SE 37th Street, Bellevue, Washington, 98006, at 10:00 AM. Internment will be at Tahoma National Cemetery, 18600 SE 240th St, Kent, WA, 98042, with full Honor Guard, gun salute and Taps at 1:30 PM.
As a family, we are so thankful for the incredible compassion and care that Evergreen Hospice Services provided to Bud that allowed him to spend his final days at home in the loving care of his family as he suffered from Lewy Body Dementia. It would be wonderful if you honored Bud by making a donation to either of these fine associations in his memory.
Lewy Body Dementia Association
912 Killian Hill Road, S.W.
Lilburn, GA 30047
Evergreen Hospice Services
Evergreen Health Foundation
12040 NE 128th St., MS 5
Kirkland, WA 98034-3098
A Memorial Service to celebrate Bud’s life will be held on Thursday, June 18 at 10 am.
Crossroads Bible Church
15815 SE 37th Street
Bellevue, WA 98006
This church is right off of highway I-90 in the Eastgate neighborhood.
If you are coming up 405, take the I-90 EAST exit, and then Exit 11-A. Go straight on 11-A until the road splits, then bear to the right and go straight ahead to a traffic light and straight thru it. Keep going on this road past a small shopping center with Baskin Robbins, Albertson’s, O’Reilly Auto Parts on your right, stay to the right and go straight ahead to the very end of the road. The Crossroads Bible Church is at the very end of the road.
6 Responses to “Jack Clifford (Bud) Hammack”
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That was a beautiful write up of Uncle Bud.
Like my grandma, Uncle Bud taught me the value in friendships and family. He always had many friends and family around him.
We spent all the holidays at my grandmas. Grams usually included friends who had no where to go, and I remember Uncle Bud including friends who had no where to go. If you were a friend to them you became family.
Going up fishing to Wanacut Uncle Bud and Aunt Charlotte usually had a crowd with them. Kids, grand kids, in laws, kids friends…. Anybody who wanted to come fish.
I have many great memories of riding bikes with him. Up to Victoria, the STP, I loved going for a bike and then going for breakfast. My very favorite memory is the bike trip he took Cousin Jerry and I on to the San Juan Is. I think we were supposed to camp but because the ride was very hilly and we were a lot slower then anticipated we stayed at a hotel.
If our kids had activities in their area, Uncle Bud and Auntie Charlotte tried to get there.
Any thing my uncle did, he did it his best. He was a great husband, Dad, Uncle,and Husky fan.
I don’t know that I ever actually heard my Grandma say this, but it was always implied that the Hammack Boys could do no wrong. I truly believe that.
Thank you God for the great Uncle you gave me. Heaven is one lucky place.
I love and will miss you, Marc
It’s hard to know where to start when writing about my Papa…the most amazing, inspiring and influential man I have ever known.
The best memories from my childhood wouldn’t have been possible without Papa. I remember from about two years old waking up at Grandma and Papa’s house after sleepovers and doing our “morning exercises” at the foot of the bed with Papa. He was always encouraging and motivating me to push myself and be healthy. Those morning exercises always wore us out and by early afternoon it was nap time together on the hard floor! He always liked to nap flat on his back on the floor. That’s probably why he had such great posture!
It wasn’t long before we started biking together; I was probably around 5 or 6 when we first started on the tandem. I loved it! There was nothing I would choose in the world over a day of biking with my Papa. We toured around Seattle, the San Juan islands, all over the east-side and finally did the Seattle to Portland bike race when I was 12. I always wanted to push myself to make him proud. He was the type of man who made you want to be your best.
Papa and Grandma always kept our family tight. Every holiday was spent at their house with a big delicious dinner cooked by Grandma and great conversation with the whole family. I loved sitting around the dinner table listening to all of the funny family stories from way back when. Papa knew how to start every meal with a beautiful and meaningful prayer. Being grateful for everything we were blessed with was a priority to Papa. Oh…and I almost forgot to mention Bing Crosby; a Christmas/Thanksgiving tradition which Papa would inevitably always sneak over and put on at some point before or during dinner 🙂
Papa instilled in me my love for the outdoors, biking, hiking, fishing and above all the importance family and God. I am so lucky to have had an amazing influence like my Papa in my life and I will miss him so much.
My Papa also showed me what a happy healthy and successful marriage looks like. He loved my grandma so much it was clear to anyone and everyone. He never stopped saying sweet things about her and to her. He had her on the highest pedestal (and rightfully so!)! If Grandma ever wanted anything Papa would make it happen. He always took her advise (although at first he would usually disagree..haha..but always changed his mind within a few hours!) my Grandma knew this too and would just wait for him to come around :). In the last years, it became even more clear who his #1 was…he wouldn’t even let Grandma out of his sight! He would often ask her what she wanted to do, eat etc. before making his decision. Their marriage and love for each is a huge inspiration.
My Grandma took care of my Papa at home throughout the course of his Parkinson’s and Lewi Body Dementia disease progression. She showed more love, compassion, and selflessness than I have ever seen from a single person (typical if you know my Grandma!). She loved/loves him with all of her heart, just as he loved her, and she proved it again and again with her complete commitment and devotion to him during this time. We are so so grateful for her and everything she did and does for our family!
I am so incredibly blessed to have had my Papa in my life, to have been with him for his final days, and I am forever blessed that he is watching over me and our whole family from heaven now. I know that God opened his gates and arms with a big smile for my Papa!
Papa had such an amazing life filled with so many accomplishments. He has touched so many lives and is incredibly loved by so many people. I was, and am always proud to tell everyone that he is MY Papa!!!
I have been truly Blessed to have had Bud Hammack in my Life. My earliest memories of he and Charlotte began as a Senior in High School when I started dating their daughter Cheryl. They welcomed me from the start. As our relationship grew I came to trust them as I did my own natural Parents.(I still Do) Bud was always someone I could go to with anything. He was a “touchstone” for advice and life-lessons. He constantly demonstrated and taught me the absolute importance of “Family” and Traditional Godly Values. He was absolutely instrumental and a “How-to” example in my development as a Man. When Cheryl & I got engaged and then married, Bud was our biggest advocate. He and Charlotte (Mom) welcomed me into their Family as a Son. That close relationship has remained even though our life situations had changed. He was also an amazing Grandfather to my two Children, Nathan & Ashley. I cannot begin to thank him and Charlotte enough for all of those things. They will always have my Love & Deep Respect. So many of the “Highlights” in My life have Bud & Charlotte Hammack in and around them. From your shared Faith, love of my Children, being in this Amazing Family, Love of “Husky-Everything”, Biking, Fishing and Love of the Outdoors and, most importantly, Leading his family by Example, We ALL have received so many Blessings from you. My Prayers and Love go out to Mom. Cheryl, Steve, Pat and All of the Extended Family.
No Doubt, This Family has been hit with a Sad & tragic loss of Jack(Bud) Hammack- but the wonderful memories and legacy left has been more impactful to all of us than My words can begin to express. Thank you so much Dad. I Love & Miss you. I am indeed a “Better” Man for having known you. I thank the Lord for that Blessing. I look forward to seeing you again one sweet day.
Charlotte – I am saddened to hear of Buds passing. I am sorry for your loss but happy that you two had such a wonderful and happy life together. I hope your sweet memories will help you with your sadness. Love to you. Katie Stinson
‘Bud’ & I go All the way back to 1947 in the Holly Park Project when I moved in next door in my Aunt Kate & Uncle Hank’s next door to Jim & Eva Hammack. Played a LOTTA ‘stick ball’, & basketball on Webster Court..Where the “Patkas lived. Went to Cleveland HS, Played Football, Baseball, (Bud was a Great baseball talent)..We even played in a park league semi-pro Football league. Bud went on to te FBI & IRS & became my sole business tax accountant. Just learned that his older brother, Jim, Jr. had passed also..Too bad the kids today Don’t have the SAME kinda growing up friends like we did..Lotta GREAT MEMORIES I can stil enjoy !!
Hope that I learn this was “enjoyed” by ANY like type ‘Friends’ !!