Hildegarde Gretchen Hammond passed away peacefully at her home in The Chelsea at Brookfield in Belvidere, N.J., on Monday, Nov. 9, 2020. She was 98.
Hildegarde was born March 2, 1922, in Zetel, Germany, to George and Gesina (Braams) Bunjes. She came to the United States in 1930, when she was eight years old, with her family of seven.
After processing through Ellis Island, they moved to Le Mars, Iowa, to be near family. She grew up in Le Mars and graduated from Central High School there. She graduated from the Business Institute of Milwaukee and worked as a secretary in Wisconsin. “Hilde” returned to Iowa and married Arnold Hammond on June 19, 1947, in Le Mars.
After 20 years in Alta, Iowa, they moved to Sioux City, Iowa, where they resided until Arnold passed away in 2008. Hildegarde moved to New Jersey in 2019 to finish her stay on earth near her daughter and family. She loved nature and enjoyed walking, swimming, and golf.
She will be remembered for hersoft-spoken, friendly and genuine personality.
Hildegarde’s survivors include her son, Curtis, of Las Vegas, Nev.; daughter Vanessa Gibbs, and husband, Gilbert, and their family; son, Gilbert of Austin, Texas, and daughter Christine Castelluzzo and husband, Philip, and their children, Mikayla, Nova, and Phoenix of Sparta, N.J.
She was preceded in death by her husband, parents, two brothers and their wives, two sisters and their husbands, and too many friends and family to list.
Services are being held privately under the direction of MacFadden Funeral Home in Belvidere, N.J. (macfaddenfuneralhome.com). Hildegarde will return to Le Mars, Iowa, where she will rest in peace with her husband and family in Resthaven Cemetery.
Memorial donations may be made to Alzheimer’s New Jersey to fight dementias, 425 Eagle Rock Avenue, Ste. 203, Roseland, NJ 07068.