Mrs. Jean Lightner Nelson

Jean Lightner Hammer Nelson, a longtime resident of Albany Georgia, went to be with the Lord on November 2, 2016 at age 94. Though not Southern by birth she considered herself fortunate to have been an adopted daughter of the South. Jean was born on February 22, 1922 in Ashland Wisconsin to Ida Reynolds Lightner and Leo Raymond Lightner. She was the oldest of 3 children. After graduating from Ashland High School in 1940 she moved to the big city of Chicago to work at the First National Bank. While enjoying the life of a single career woman, she met her future husband Donald Arthur Hammer. They married in 1950 and were happily married for 36 years until his passing in 1986. Supporting her husband’s career in the corrugated business she and Don lived in Chicago IL, St Louis MO, Atlanta GA and Albany GA. She was smart and funny and sassy until her last days. She had a sharp mind and was interested in the stock market and loved to manage her money by buying and selling securities. She could amaze us all with her memory for stock prices and their rise and fall over time. Jean was a great cook and a gracious hostess to all her friends and family. She loved to travel and was fortunate to be able to do so for many years after retirement. She was a long time member of the First United Methodist Church in Albany where she regularly attended until her health began to fail her. She is survived by her brother Leo Lightner (Lois); Nephews Jeff Lightner (Denise); Michael Lightner (Pam); Nieces Linda Gilbertson (Dennis) all of Ashland WI and Margot Babb of Auburn WA and her lifelong friends Skippy Dennis of St Louis MO; Rob (Marsha) Dennis family of Littleton CO; Valerie Dennis of Dana Point CA; Linda (David) Bentley of Charlotte NC. She was preceded in death by her parents Ida and Leo; her husband Donald Arnold Hammer; her husband Chester Arthur Nelson & sister Irene Lighter Smith. She will be greatly missed by those of us who called her our friend and our family. Her family would like to thank Monica (Dave) Miller; Eva Cobey; Denise Plummer; Linda Cutts; Linda Rivers Whitlock and Heather Sadler and the team at Albany Hospice for their support during her illness. We could not have done it without you all. A memorial service will be held in the Walden Chapel of First United Methodist Church in Albany Ga on Friday November 4th at 3pm. Visitation will be in the chapel at 2pm. Her ashes will be interned next to her husband Donald A Hammer in Ashland WI. A graveside service will be held at a later date at the Mt. Hope cemetery in Ashland Wisconsin.

Mrs. Jean Lightner Nelson

February 27, 1922 - November 2, 2016