Ralph Hammontree

Ralph H. Hammontree, Sr., the Patriarch of our family, was born to Mattie and Charlie Hammontree on June 6, 1930. His journey here on earth ended on Monday June 2, 2014 with his loving wife of 61 years at his bedside. He has now begun his celebration in Paradise and is no longer suffering from the loss of memory or the confusion brought on by Alzheimer’s.
Ralph’s life was one of struggle and triumph beginning when he was only 11 months old with the tragic death of this own father who was not there for Ralph’s first birthday. His mom died when she was only 42 years old.
Still, he spoke of a wonderful childhood that included skinny dipping in the creek and having a loyal pet dog that followed him everywhere he went. He told stories of working on Uncle Jim’s farm, his daddy’s brother, who became a father-figure to Ralph. He must have been a great kid because he told how grown men ‘adopted’ him to be their bat boy on their baseball team and how one of his teachers ‘hired’ him to teach her son how to play baseball. His childhood friend, Charlie Dial, told of how Ralph would hit the baseball to him in a fresh plowed field to help him run faster.
His teenage years were hard on him mostly due to the mistreatment his mother, sister and brothers took from his step-father. He moved out of their home, eventually joining the Marine Corps. Though he was only in the Marines for four years, the experience of being a Marine lasted the rest of his life. He was in the Korean War and served under Chesty Puller at the Chosin Reservoir, where the enemy outnumbered them 10 to 1 and conditions were horrid with -35 degree temperatures (wind chill factors weren’t calculated then). They fought for over 100 days and a lot of that was hand-to-hand combat. He survived and while we called him a hero, he said all the heroes were the ones that didn’t get to come back. Coming home was a struggle for him also because he couldn’t escape the nightmares that reminded him, every night, of what he had lived through. But, as he promised God on the battlefield, if he would just get him home, he finally gave his life to the Lord. And the nightmares ended.
After his service in the Marines, he worked for Dalton Public Service and later with Bob Johnston & Co. He started his own mechanical contracting business in 1973 and continued there until his retirement. He went on to have a large family that loved him deeply and that have always had an unlimited respect for him. He always lived up to the Marine motto “Semper Fi”. He was “always faithful” to his wife, to his sons and grandchildren, to his God and to his Country. He was the best Dad anyone could ask for and part of that was that he was a big “cut-up” with his family, such as the time he convinced our Mom that he had caught a King Mackerel in the Tilton River. He finally told her a friend had given it to him, after she had dialed WBLJ radio to tell Frank Painter the whole story. He also loved to show off the mounted 21 inch trout that he caught in the Tellico River. It was a beauty.
He loved to fish and he liked to watch the Georgia Bulldogs with his sons. He liked eating Breakfast at the Cracker Barrel with the love of his life. He always said the smartest thing he ever did was to marry our Mom. He was right. He also said “Everything will be alright in the morning”. He’s probably right about that too. He is a past Commander of the local VFW, was a Trustee for the Whitfield County Schools, Was a member of the Marine Corps League and was a member of Cross Pointe Christian Church.
He was preceded in death by his son, Steve Hammontree; brothers, Richard, Felton, Roy, J.W., and Bobby Hammontree; and sister, Evelyn Story.
He is survived by his loving wife of 61 years, Irene Bryson Hammontree of Dalton; sons and daughters-in-law, Jerry Bryson of Rocky Face, Ralph H. Hammontree Jr. of Dalton, Doug and Amy Hammontree of Dalton, and Tony and Diane Hammontree of Red Wine Cove; sisters-in-law, Alice Hargett of Chatsworth and Frances Stinson of Dalton; brothers-in-law,Terry and Perry Bryson of Tunnel Hill and special granddaughters, Tera Massey of Dalton, and Leslie and Stacy Jones of Dalton. Grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and nieces and nephews also survive.
Funeral services will be Thursday at 2 P.M. at Cross Pointe Christian Centre with the Pastor Stan Lester and Pastor Scott Parrish officiating.
Burial will follow in Whitfield Memorial Gardens.
The family will receive friends on Wednesday from 5-8 at Love Funeral Home.
In lieu of flowers memorials may be made to Cross Pointe Christian Centre, 2681 Underwood St. Dalton, GA 30721 and Alzheimer’s Association, GA Chapter, 922 E. Morris St. Dalton, GA 30721.
Words of comfort may be sent to the family at www.lovefuneralhomega.com.
Love Funeral Home, 1402 N. Thornton Ave, Dalton (across from Hamilton Medical Center) is in charge of arrangements.