Mary Ethel Hammill

Mary Ethel Sossamon Hammill passed away peacefully in Bonita Springs, Florida on April 11, 2021.  She was a resident of Fort Myers Beach, Florida, but spent most of her life in Brevard, North Carolina.  Ethel surpassed most people her age by living to be the wonderful age of 103.

Ethel’s parents were Louvenia Elizabeth Eury Sossamon and James Oscar Sossamon.  She had three brothers, Leroy Sossamon of Bryson City, Boyd Sossamon of Sylva, and Baine Sossamon of Baltimore, MD and one sister, Helen Neill of Hendersonville, NC.  All have preceded her in death.  The children were raised on a large farm in Cabarrus County, NC.

Her husband, Spencer Albert Hammill preceded her in death in 1997.  They were married April 6, 1939 at Bethel Methodist Church in Midland, NC.  They moved to Brevard in 1952 to open a business, Brevard Auto Parts.  They raised three girls, Shirley Harper (Perry) of Brevard, Betty Russell (David) of Fort Myers Beach, FL and Nancy Hammill (Arthur Meola) of Van Nuys, CA.  There are three grandchildren, Dwayne Spencer Harper of Hollywood, FL, Darren Wayne Harper of Jacksonville, FL and Shelby Kathryn Russell of Nashville, TN and three great-grandchildren of Jacksonville, FL.

Ethel worked briefly for three years at Cannon Mills in Concord, NC and was a grand homemaker for the rest of her life helping her husband in the business. She was known for making her delicious fried apple pies.  She loved her family dearly and they loved taking care of her for nine years in her later life.

Private funeral services will be held in the Chapel of First United Methodist Church followed by a burial at Blue Ridge Gardens of Memory, with Rev. Mike Holder and Rev. Kerry Purselle officiating. A gathering of the family will follow the burial.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the First United Methodist Church of Brevard, 325 N. Broad St, Brevard, NC 28712 or Hope Hospice to Hope Development Department, 9470 HealthPark Circle, Fort Myers, FL 33908.

To leave a condolence or memory for the family of Ethel Hammill, please visit “Tributes” at www.moore-fh.com.

Moore-Blanchard Funerals & Cremations is honored to serve the family.