Judith Darlene Hammer

May 31, 1938 – August 8, 2023

The Wildest Wedding Ever

Judy and I got married August 25, just before I started my sophomore year. This was the wildest wedding ever, bar none. We were married in the First Methodist Church in Colorado Springs.

I had Hammer cousins from the mountains and Baker cousins from the prairie. Judy had cousins from Kansas.

My cousins had plans to separate us as we came in the church door. Judy’s cousins protected us there. My friend, Jerry Christian, who was my best man, and his girlfriend, Ruth, took us toward Penrose with three cars following us. When we got to Penrose, Dave Shoemaker, who was married to my cousin, Helen, from the mountains, had an appendicitis attack, so that took him out of the race. We headed to Pueblo then back to Judy’s parents’ house in Security.

When we got to Judy’s parents’ home, Judy went to change clothes and get her suitcase. On the outside, a brawl ensued between Judy’s cousins and mine. Dad was standing there with the garden hose in his hand. He couldn’t stand it, so he handed the hose to Judy’s Mom, and she didn’t know what to do with it.

While they were all brawling, Judy came out with her suitcase and Jerry drove down two blocks and over one where our car was parked in a friend’s driveway.

We drove to Denver and had a nice meal. We had planned on being in Cheyenne for our honeymoon night, but we settled for Denver.

That fall we bought an eight foot by 33-foot used trailer house from my Uncle Ralph and Aunt Nina. We parked it in a trailer court close to the campus.

We got acquainted with an older couple who had two little girls. The three-year old’s name was Judy. She just couldn’t understand how Judy could have the same name as she did. Bill & Elaine Siminoe became lifelong friends.

I took my horse to college to practice roping. I also did odd jobs. Judy got a receptionist job for an insurance agent in uptown Fort Collins.

One time my friend, Daryl Hutch, and I were practicing roping and getting tired. We decided to visit Judy at her office. Our pickups were hooked up to our horse trailers, so we decided to ride Daryl’s bicycle. Here comes two muddy cowboys riding a bicycle to visit Judy at her fancy and clean office. She was so embarrassed.

The next year, 1958, Tony was born by cesarean October 20 in Memorial hospital in Colorado Springs. Andy was born, also by cesarean and the same hospital, May 17, 1963. October 15, 1964, Kim was born, also cesarean and the same hospital.

Part 1 was published August 28, 2023, and can be found here.