Annette D. Hammond

Boonville - Annette (DeVoe) Hammond, 85, wife of Charles, passed away on Thursday, October 12, 2023, at St. Luke’s Memorial Hospital, New Hartford, while surrounded by the loving care of her three daughters. Annette was a devoted wife and a dedicated sister, mother, aunt, grandmother, and great grandmother.

Annette was born on the DeVoe homestead in the Town of Leyden, on April 12, 1938, a daughter of Fred and Evelyn Leichty DeVoe. Annette was the fourth of five children. She grew up in the Town of Leyden, attending a rural school at Barrett’s Corners, later attending and graduating from Boonville Central School, with the Class of 1956, before attending college in Oneonta. While in high school, Annette participated in the Senior Chorus, Select Chorus, School Band, was the sports editor for the high school yearbook, and a member of the Boonville Central School ‘Green Hornets’ Basketball Cheerleading Squad. At her high school graduation, Annette was the recipient of the Jeanette Talcott Pitcher Memorial Prize, awarded for high academic achievement.

In her youth, Annette’s mother sold eggs, the money from which she was able to purchase a pink accordion for her daughter. Annette took accordion lessons from Miss Hoffman and took great pride in participating in assemblies, which provided great entertainment on many local occasions. At the spry age of eight, Annette won a local talent contest which allowed her to play her music on the “Mr. Sunshine” radio program on WSYR in Syracuse, much to the delight of her family and friends listening at home.

Growing up on a dairy farm, Annette learned the value of hard work and garnered many of her homemaking skills from her mother – skills that she would later use as a mother herself. While in high school, Annette was employed at the Acme Market.

In January 1957, Annette was united in marriage with Charles B. Hammond, at the home of the groom, on Schuyler St. in Boonville. After her marriage to Charles, the couple operated the Maple Lane Dairy Farm, near Boonville, until fire destroyed their livelihood in 1978. This fire was only a temporary setback, as now she was on to other things. She and Charles founded and then operated the Maple Lane mobile home park for over 35 years. From 1989 to 2004, she was also employed as the Assessor’s Clerk for Hubert Wheeler in the Assessor’s Office for the Town of Boonville. While running Maple Lane, Annette was a member of the NY Rural Water Association.

As if farming life was not busy enough, for several years Annette accompanied and assisted Charles in operating the Ham De Horse Stables, where they raced standard bred horses on the New York County Fairs Sire Stakes circuit, as well as pari-mutuel tracks. Building their own half-mile track on the family farm, Annette spent many jog miles sitting on a sulky and training their highly successful brood. With as many as 18 horses at one time, Annette helped with the raising of the young foals, then grooming for Charles when at the track. This affinity with horses lead her to serve as the Clerk of the Course for the Lewis County Sire Stakes, as well as being a member of the U.S. Trotting Association and Central NY Horse Association.

Annette’s upbringing and quick thinking helped save a life in the mid 1970’s. A call from their neighbor’s wife alerted the couple that her husband was being attacked by a bull. While Charles kept the attacking bull distracted, Annette’s adrenaline kicked in and she dragged her neighbor to safety. For their heroic action, a Carnegie Award was received.

Annette was also a very resourceful person and provider for her family and loved ones. She put the skills she learned from her mother to great use for her girls, making prom dresses, pajamas, winter coats, and bathing suits. She also loved celebrating Halloween and making costumes. Annette was a gifted and talented artist; her specialty was painting Christmas ornaments. She enjoyed gardening and was a secret partner in Charles’ Garden. She enjoyed teaching her grandchildren to make rye bread from scratch; the aroma filled the kitchen with love and the warm bread with melting butter delighted all. Annette always said she had a full and colorful life.

Now don’t think that it was all work and no play for Annette. Annette loved her music and knew the lyrics of almost every song she heard. She also loved to dance. From barn dances to polka dancing in the kitchen, Annette was a sight to behold with beauty and grace, smiling and spinning and enjoying every minute together with Charlie. Annette was also a prankster, the mastermind behind many practical jokes played on their friends and neighbors. SHE would plan it, HE would make it happen.

Annette was a benevolent person who believed in giving back to the community. She was a member of the First Presbyterian Church of Boonville, and she volunteered at DDSO in Lowville from 1987-89. For many years on Christmas Day, she volunteered by serving meals at the Rescue Mission in Utica. She is fondly remembered for volunteering at the Boonville Fair and at the early years of the Boonville Snow Festival, where she and other local citizens constructed many large snow sculptures in the village park.

In retirement, Annette and Charles wintered in Florida for several years. During that time, she wrote a journal about her mother, Evelyn - stories that could be passed down to her girls. The three day 50th Anniversary Party, which they celebrated in Montreal, Canada, with more than 65 family members and friends was a special memory for her.

Annette is survived by her husband, Charles; sister, Jane Sanford, her three daughters, Cynthia (Jim) Forrest, Renee (Randy) Lee, and Deborah (Gary) Kline; grandchildren Jennifer (Tom) Kennett, Rebecca (John) Pinder, Heather (Jeremiah) Haslun, Shawna Lee, Shannon Lee, and Riley Kline; and eight great-grandchildren. She was predeceased by her parents and siblings, Ralph, Robert, and Norma Larrivey.

Her Funeral will be Saturday, October 21, 2023, at 1:00 P.M. at Trainor Funeral Home, Inc. 143 Schuyler St. Boonville, where calling hours will be from 10:00 A.M. until the services. Interment will be in Boonville Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made to Boonville Fire Department Ambulance Fund, PO Box 164, Boonville, NY 13309.