Gerald George Hammes, 91, of Seneca, Kansas, passed away on May 16, 2021, at Nemaha Valley Community Hospital in Seneca, with his family by his side.

Gerald was born on November 11, 1929, to Lawrence & Cora (Cornelia Stallbaumer) Hammes at their home southeast of Baileyville, Kansas. He was the 2^nd oldest of 12 children. Gerald attended school in Baileyville and graduated from the 8^th Grade in 1943. After graduation, he stayed home and worked on the family farm and helped his father with his custom corn shelling business.

Gerald joined the Army National Guard, Battery “A” 154^th Field Artillery Battalion, in 1948. He was honorably discharged in 1955 as a Master Sergeant.

On February 27, 1954, he married Cleta Mae Lierz at St. Augustine’s Church in Fidelity, Kansas. She preceded him in death on February 9, 2005. He spent many of Cleta’s later years caring for her as she suffered with Parkinson’s disease. They lived west of Seneca on their farm since 1968. He was a grain farmer and also raised livestock. Gerald loved farming the land and retired from that in 2000.

After retirement, Gerald’s favorite pastimes were mowing with his “Grasshopper” and joining his friends each morning for coffee at the local McDonald’s. He entered Life Care of Seneca in October 2017.

Gerald was a member of Sacred Heart Church in Baileyville, Kansas. He was a choir member for 27 years, a Eucharistic minister for 17 years, on the Parish Council for 3 years, and served at weekday Masses. He was also a member of the Knights of Columbus.

Besides his wife Cleta, he was preceded in death by his parents, Lawrence (1993) and Cora (1975); a brother, Donald (1967); and sisters Dorothy Bergman Schraad (2017) and Cleta Mae Haverkamp (2020).

He is survived by his seven children: LuAnn Roth (Bill) of Paxico, Marlene Wessel (Bob) of Seneca, Joan Glissman (Ron) of Centralia, Ellen Laird (Mark) of Topeka, Bob Hammes (Mary) of Hoyt, Mike Hammes of Topeka, and Tricia Hammes of Shawnee; five brothers, Alvin, Galen, Leo, and Kenneth all of Seneca, and Larry of Topeka; three sisters, Bernice Heiman of Baileyville, Mary Rose Feuerborn of Richmond, and Jeanette Becker of Seneca; 18 grandchildren, 25 great-grandchildren, 6 step great-grandchildren, and 2 step great-great grandchildren.

Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10:00 A.M. on Wednesday, May 19, 2021, at the Sacred Heart Church in Baileyville. Burial with military honors will follow at the Sacred Heart Cemetery. Rosaries will be prayed at 2 and 7 P.M. on Tuesday, May 18, 2021 at the Lauer Funeral Home in Seneca.

Memorials may be left in his memory to Sacred Heart Church, Baileyville, sent in care of the family.