Donald R. Hammes, 35, of Baileyville, Kansas, died Tuesday, November 21, 1967 at the Seneca Hospital, after being severely burned when a fire flashed when a combine was being started. The accident happened the day before.

Donald was born December 6, 1931, in Seneca, the son of Lawrence and Cornelia “Cora” Stallbaumer Hammes. He lived most of his life in Nemaha County except for his service with the U.S. Army during the Korean War. He served with Company D, 85th Infantry Regiment of the 10th Infantry Division out of Fort Riley, Kansas, and participated in frontline battle in Korea. He was awarded the Korean Service Medal with Bronze Star, the United Nations Service Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, and the Combat Infantryman Badge.

Back home after service to his country, he owned and operated a repair shop, Hammes Repair, in Baileyville.

After such a tragic loss, many in the community expressed what a fine young man he was, with a fun-loving personality, who won’t be soon forgotten.

He is survived by his parents; six brothers, Alvin of Shawnee Mission, Gerald (Cleta Mae) and Galen (Dorothy) of Seneca, Leo (Mary Jane) of Albuquerque, New Mexico, Kenneth (Alice) of Vermillion and Larry of Kansas City, Kansas; five sisters, Cleta Mae (Remi) Haverkamp of Centralia; Dorothy (Vern) Bergman of Seneca; Bernice (Gene) Heiman of Baileyville, Mary Rose Hammes of Shawnee Mission and Jeanette (Orville) Dick of Topeka; and his maternal grandfather, George Stallbaumer of St. Benedict.

Mass of Christian Burial was offered on November 24 at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Baileyville by Fr. George Klasinski. Servers were Gary, David and Alan Broxterman, Bruce Larkin and Ronnie Stallbaumer.

Burial was in the church cemetery. Taking part in the military honors were the American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars, with the firing squad salute by the Seneca Army Reserve. Taps was played by Steve Jones and Rick Kussman. Pallbearers were Cy Roggenkamp, Vic Mulryan, Regis Koelzer, Steven Broxterman, Charles Stallbaumer, Richard Stallbaumer and Elmer Koelzer and Maurice Haug.