Richard W. Hammel Sr.

Richard W. Hammel Sr., age 79, of Milton passed away June 30th at the Pat Roche Hospice House in Hingham, after a very long battle with Parkinson’s disease. Born in Boston he was a lifelong resident of Milton.  He graduated from Milton High School and went on to Military Academy in Florida.  Richard served in the United States Army in Germany where he met the love of his life Elke, his wife of 60 years. In 1977 he founded and operated Private Eyes Sunglass Corporation, a distributor of fine eyewear and accessories from Europe, based in Norwell and New York City.  His passions were his family, fine wine, fine food, his business, traveling, Broadway shows and the Boston Bruins. He was a member of the International Wine and Food Society and the Chaine Des Rotisseurs, where he and his wife Elke traveled the world for wine events. He enjoyed summers at his Falmouth, Cape Cod beach home with his family and his six adored grandchildren, entertaining guests with lobsters and fine wine.                         

Beloved husband for 60 years of Elke A. (Staubach).   Father of Richard W. Hammel, Jr. of Bridgewater, Robert J. Hammel of W. Roxbury, Ronald D. Hammel and his wife Deirdre of Braintree, and Annette L. Shalno of Weymouth.  Beloved Papa of Haley & Chase Hammel of Bridgewater, Aidan and Thomas Hammel of Braintree, and Jessica and Marissa Shalno of Weymouth.  Brother of the late Fredric C. Hammel and his wife Melissa Hammel of Duxbury.  Also survived by his former son in law Steven Shalno of Weymouth and former daughter in law  Becky Hammel (Berge) of Bridgewater.  Funeral service at the Alfred D. Thomas Funeral Home 326 Granite Ave Milton Saturday July 10th at 12 noon.  Visiting hours prior to the service from 10:30 am to 12 noon.  Burial private. Longtime Owner of Private Eyes Sunglass Corporation in Norwell.  Veteran United States Army.   In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in his memory to the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Disease at www.michaeljfox.org. 

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