Kathryn Ann Hammerly

Kathryn “Kathy” Ann Hammerly, 64, of Newton died on Tuesday, July 25, 2023, at MercyOne Newton Medical Center. A funeral mass will be held at 6 p.m., Tuesday, August 1, at Sacred Heart Catholic Church. The family will greet friends from 1-4 p.m., Tuesday, at the church, please enter through the McCann Center.  A committal service will be held at 1 p.m., Wednesday, August 2, at Sacred Heart Catholic Cemetery. Memorials in Kathy’s name (checks made payable to Galen Hammerly) may be left at the church the day of the service or at the Wallace Family Funeral Home and Crematory.

Kathy, the daughter of C.E. and Rowena (Kelly) Pierce, was born on March 20, 1959 in Newton. She graduated from Newton High School in 1977 and Central College in 1981 with a degree in Elementary Education. On February 16, 1980, Kathy was united in marriage with Galen Hammerly at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, where she was a lifelong member. Kathy devoted her life in service to others working as the Director of Prevention at Capstone, as the Director of Share Preschool, and currently as the Stewardship Coordinator for Sacred Heart Catholic Church. Many would say that Kathy had the ability for finding people’s gifts and talents and knowing exactly how they should be utilized at the church.  Kathy would always give that glory to God though and say that through her continual prayers the Holy Spirit would lay those people and their talents on her heart.

Kathy was a past member of the Wittemberg Grange and also a member of PEO. Kathy was the ultimate party planner. She made every holiday, birthday, or event special.  She would transform her home even down to the dishes and cups for every season.  Food was truly her love language and that could be felt through her canning, making special meals or buying special items for family members, or making sure birthday cakes always had a theme. Kathy loved her grandchildren more than anything and they loved their Manna.  She never missed a sporting event, band concert, or activity and would make the grandchildren that didn’t live close by feel loved and special in any way she could.  She was truly the glue that held everyone together and she would do it with her famous smile that everyone gravitated towards.

Kathy is survived by her husband, Galen Hammerly of Newton; children, Jake (Rynae) Hammerly of Zeeland, Michigan, Ike (Liz) Hammerly of Newton, Clarissa (Tim) Bloom of Newton, and John (Tiffany) Hammerly of Jesup; her grandchildren, Axton and Nya Hammerly, Addie, Briggs, Violet, and Lottie Hammerly, Kaitlyn, Stella, Mathias, and Maddox Bloom, and Henrick Hammerly;  siblings, Father Ed Pierce of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, John (Cindy) Pierce of Colorado Springs, Colorado, Linda Pierce of Newton, and Mary (Stan) Straate of Waukon; and many nieces and nephews.  She was preceded in death by her parents; a grandson, Lincoln Hammerly; and a sister, Janet Pierce.