Alrick P. Hammar, Sr.

Former Owner and Operator of Hammar and Sons of Pelham;

Alrick P. “Al” Hammar, Sr., 86, a longtime resident of Pelham and Windham, NH died Monday, August 7th in Derry, NH. He was the loving husband, for over 50 years, of the late Mary (Milinazzo) Hammar, who died in 2001.
Born in Lowell, Massachusetts, February 13, 1931, a son of the late Alrick J. Hammar and the late Flossie (Greenwood) (Spence) Hammar, he attended Pelham schools and was a graduate of Lowell High School with the Class of 1949.
He was a communicant of St. Patrick Church in Pelham and St. Matthew Church in Windham.
Al was a self-made businessman well known in many communities.  As the eldest of his three siblings, Al worked many jobs at a young age to help his mother raise the family due to his own dad passing early. He was a well-known and talented artist and sign painter for many retailers in the area.
Once married and on his own, he and his wife Mary founded Hammar & Sons Signs, a business that began in the 1950’s, employed all of his children at one time and is still a fixture today.  His unique style could be recognized on presidential, county and local political signs, grocers’ windows, billboards and property signs to name just a few.
In the 1970’s, while still operating his business, Al served the Town of Pelham as a Selectman.  Among many other projects while he was in office, providing housing and a gathering place for seniors in town was the most fulfilling accomplishment he was a part of.
He also operated Hammar’s Art Studio, where local artists could depend on to get their supplies, and many households, their beautiful paintings and framing.
Al was part of several associations and committees including the Fish Hatchery where his love for fishing took him to stocking many of the area’s ponds with trout.  His leisure time was spent with family and friends at Cobbett’s Pond in Windham entertaining, boating and of course, fishing.
His survivors include his five children Alrick, Jr. and Brenda Hammar of Rumney, NH, Michael and Celine Hammar of Pelham, Richard and Susan (Hammar) O’Rourke of Longwood, FL, Mark and Erika Hammar of North Andover, MA, and Carl and Laura Hammar of Middleburg, FL; his brother in laws Peter Milinazzo of Modesto, CA and Charles Santos of Nashua, NH; his sister in law Kathleen Hammar of Bedford, NH; Al has 19 Grandchildren and 11 Great-grandchildren.
He was also predeceased by his brother Philip Hammar, sisters Pauline Santos and Suzanne Babin; his father and mother-in-law Peter and Susan (Gangi) Milinazzo; brothers-in-law Louis Milinazzo, Robert Milinazzo and Frank Babin; sister-in-law Barbara Milinazzo and daughter-in- law Deborah Hammar.
Friends may call at the PELHAM FUNERAL HOME 11 NASHUA RD. in PELHAM from 4 to 8 P.M. Thursday August 17, 2017. Relatives and friends are invited to attend his Funeral Mass to be celebrated Friday morning August 18, 2017 at ST. PATRICK CHURCH, 12 Main St. in PELHAM at 10 o’clock.  Burial to follow at the Gibson Cemetery in PELHAM. E-condolences/directions at pelhamfuneralhome.com. In lieu of flowers, donations in his memory may be made to https://www.gofundme.com/conquer-britts-breast-cancer.  Arrangements by Funeral Director James F. O’Donnell, Jr.