Mary Helen Hamm
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Mary Helen Hamm (1943–2025)
Born August 8, 1943, in Concordia, Kansas, Mary Helen Hamm came into the world ready to educate, organize, and out-class everyone around her — and she pretty much did just that for 82 glorious years until September 30, 2025.
Armed with a Master’s in Education from the University of Kansas (Rock Chalk forever), Mary first molded young minds as a fifth-grade teacher at Deerfield Elementary. Later, she decided that shaping the future generation wasn’t quite challenging enough, so she switched gears to become a consultant for Silver Burdett & Ginn — because why teach one classroom when you can influence every classroom?
Mary was also a lifelong Kappa Alpha Theta, following in the high-heeled footsteps of her half-sister Barbie. Theta wasn’t just a college chapter for her; it was a lifelong sisterhood. In a twist of family math that still confuses genealogists, Barbie’s daughter Susan — yes, her niece — joined the same sorority just a couple of years behind her. That’s right, Mary had a niece nearly her age. It’s fine. The family tree is less of a tree and more of a pretzel, but we love it.
She married William C. Hamm of Atchison, Kansas, on August 10, 1985. Together they built a life in Topeka full of laughter, love, and probably a few debates about which fork goes where. On January 1, 2025, they rang in the new year with a move to Homestead Estates of Leawood.
Mary was preceded in death by her older brother John and her half-sister Barbara Ann — and if heaven has a family reunion committee, those three are already running it with name tags and snacks.
The next (and best) chapter of Mary’s story will be told at her service on Monday, October 27, 2025, at St. Thomas Episcopal Church (12251 Antioch Rd, Overland Park, KS 66213), 10:00 AM. Come prepared to laugh, cry, and maybe learn something — just the way she would’ve wanted it.
So, here’s to Mary Helen Hamm: she wasn’t just a teacher, or a consultant, or a Theta. She taught people how to think, how to class, and occasionally correcting grammar…even in Spanish. Heaven just got a little more organized — and a lot more fabulous.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that you take that money and treat your own family to dinner. Raise a glass to your accomplishments, your memories, and the people who make your life worth celebrating — because that’s exactly what Mary would’ve wanted.