Reverend Charles "Jerry" Hammet Obituary (1931 - 2015)

The Reverend Doctor Charles Jarred Hammet, Sr., of Fripp Island, died peacefully at home on August 1, 2015, age 83. Born in Kingstree, S.C., December 20, 1931, the son of the George Barr Hammet and Gaynelle Gamble Hammet, he was the great-great-great grandson of William Hammet, founding pastor of Trinity Methodist Church, Charleston, S.C., who was ordained by John Wesley. Rev. Hammet made his Profession of Faith at Williamsburg Presbyterian Church, was a graduate (and multisport athlete) of Kingstree High School (1950), Clemson University (1954) and sole recipient of the Algernon Sydney Sullivan Award, and Columbia Theological Seminary (1957), with an Honorary Doctorate from Presbyterian College. On August 14, 1955 he married Betsy Clarinda Putnam, daughter of G.W. Putnam and Ellen Shelton Putnam, in Orangeburg, S.C. He was pre- deceased by his daughter Clarinda Elizabeth Hammet and his brother, George Barr Hammet, Jr. He is survived by his wife of 60 years, sons Rev. Dr. Charles Jarred Hammet, Jr. (April Wessinger), Macon, GA; George Christopher Hammet, M.D, San Antonio; and grandchildren Rachael Elizabeth Hammet and William Jarred Nelson Hammet, Macon GA.; sister Patsy H. Shi, of Cary, NC, and brother, Chalmers Marion Hammet (Etta) of Kingstree, SC. His ministerial career began at Rock Presbyterian Church, Greenwood, SC, 1957-1961, followed by a short period of active duty chaplaincy at the rank of Captain with U. S. Army Signal Battalion at Fort Stewart, GA, during the Berlin Crisis. He then served over two decades (1962-1983) as Presbyterian campus chaplain at USC, ministering to many, during a time of social change and racial strife. Concurrently, he served as chaplain to South Carolina Air National Guard, 169th Fighter Wing, McEntire AGB, rising to the rank of Colonel, and retiring from the SCANG with the honorary rank of Brigadier General. Following USC chaplaincy, he was called to serve as senior minister at Bethesda Presbyterian Church, Camden, SC, installed in 1984, and retiring 1996. Jerry and Betsy moved to Fripp Island in 1998, with Jerry intermittently supplying First Presbyterian Church Beaufort, Crocketville Presbyterian Church, and All Faiths Chapel, Fripp Island. There will be visitation at Fripp Island on Monday, August 3, a Memorial Service at First Presbyterian Church - Beaufort, at 1:00 PM on Tuesday, followed by a time of visitation. The service will be officiated by the Reverends Patrick Perryman, Rebecca Albright, and Ashley Sanders. Interment and Committal will take place at 2:00 PM, Wednesday, August 4 at the Williamsburg Cemetery, Kingstree, S. C., officiated by the Rev. Drs. John Brearley and C. Jarred Hammet, Jr. A visitation will follow immediately at the Williamsburg Presbyterian Church, Kingstree, S.C. Immediate Family will gather beforehand at Cooper's Country Store. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Fripp Island Chapel, the Friends of Caroline Hospice, Heifer International or Doctors Without Borders. He is remembered by many as a compassionate pastor, offerer of hospital prayers, officiant of many weddings, baptisms, funerals and memorial services, eloquent preacher, skillful and frequent story-teller, award-winning whimsical sculptor, recipient of many awards and honors, frustrated farmer, rare Fripp Island moderate, and loving and generous husband, father, grandfather, brother and uncle.