Born in Uniontown, Arkansas, on August 27, 1920, to Flora Limina and William Dudley Hammer, Ennis Wilford Hammer went to join his wife in Heaven on April 25, 2008. He was raised in Wagoner County and married Avanelle Lancaster of Wagoner on March 1, 1942. Together they raised four children and were married 65 years at the time of her death in September 2007.

Ennis graduated from Wagoner High School and received his Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees from Northeastern State College in Tahlequah. As an educator, he started his teaching career in a one-room school house in Wagoner County in what was then known as the Brick School. He later taught at Okay, Braggs, Draughn’s Business College, and Will Rogers High School in Tulsa before joining the Business Department at the old Muskogee Central High School where he taught typing and shorthand for many years and enjoyed taking students to State-wide typing and shorthand competitions. He was honored with an international business organization award for his shorthand writing style and offered a textbook writing opportunity. He later taught in the Business Department at Bacone College in Muskogee where he also served as Registrar. Many former students will remember him as a hard but fair teacher who helped further their continuing education and business skills.

After his retirement from teaching he briefly sold residential real estate before becoming interested in collectibles and antiquing with his wife. For several years they had a booth at the monthly Antique Show at the Tulsa Fairgrounds where he made many friends.

Until his health no longer allowed, he was an avid vegetable and flower gardener, and enjoyed going fishing with his wife. He and Avanelle enjoyed attending singing conventions in their earlier years and he played the piano at times for quartets. They often enjoyed getting together with friends to sing and play the piano and guitar. He and Avanelle composed the music and lyrics to a song published in 1951, “What a Wonderful Friend.” He enjoyed traveling with his wife and they were able to visit most of the states over the years, including Hawaii. He was much loved by his family and he enjoyed being around his grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He was a long-time member of the First Baptist Church of Muskogee. At the time of his death, he resided at the Pleasant Valley Retirement Apartments in Muskogee where he enjoyed new friendships.

He was preceded in death by his parents, his wife, Avanelle, his sister and her husband, Lera and Clarence Smith, formerly of Wagoner. He is survived by his brother and sister-in-law, Glen and Corene Hammer of Wagoner, his four children and their spouses: Kent and Rose Hammer, David and Linda Hammer, Brenda and Clifton Wheeler, all of Muskogee, and Carolyn and Jerry Orendorff of Edmond. He is also survived by his 9 grandchildren, 6 great-grandchildren, 9 step great-grandchildren along with nieces, nephews, and brothers-and-sisters-in law from the Lancaster family. He will be greatly missed by family and friends.

Grandsons and nephews will serve as pallbearers: Roger Hammer, John Hammer, Scott Hammer, Jay Orendorff, Ronald Smith, Jimmie Smith, Dewayne Smith, and Steven Hammer.

Services will be held Tuesday, April 29, 2008 at 10:00 am at the First Baptist Church with Rev. Lance Sawyer officiating. Interment will follow at Pioneer Cemetery.

Family members are asked to gather in the First Baptist Church parlor by 9:45 a.m. Tuesday.

The family has entrusted Bradley Family Funeral Service of Muskogee with the arrangements.

Friends may send condolences to the family on the web page www.bradleyfuneralservice.com.