Virginia (Ginny) Munson Hammell

Virginia (Ginny) Munson Hammell, 75, passed away peacefully in Fairfax, VA on Friday, January 17, 2020. Born and raised in Summit, New Jersey, Ginny made her home in Alexandria, VA where she lived for many years. Ginny is survived by her husband, Air Force Col. Henry G. Hamby III, Ret. (Tack), her daughter, Hilary Hammell, a lawyer in California, her grandson, Otto Raymond Ernst Hammell, her son-in-law, Zackary Raymond Ernst, and several nieces and nephews.  She was predeceased by her first husband, architect Robert Palmer Hammell, her son, Davis Munson Hammell, her brothers Dwight and Charles Munson, and her parents Ena (Bowers) and Charles Munson.

Ginny leaves a wonderful legacy of friends that date back to her early childhood days in Summit (SHS ’63), her college classmates and many co-workers worldwide. A graduate of Hood College ’67 (BA in Economics) and Loyola College ’78 (MBA), she continued her studies at the US Department of Agriculture Graduate School.  She earned her CPA certification in ’84.

Her intriguing work career included a position at the Aga Khan Foundation, setting up banking relationships abroad; Princeton University as a Division Director; the National Association of State Universities and Land-Grant Colleges (NASULGC), lobbying for international programs; the Department of Agriculture where she supported the rural grants program; and was the Finance Director for the Business School at George Washington University (GWU). After retiring, she stayed professionally involved by working part-time as a CPA. 

Ginny was generous in her support of the organizations she loved. She gifted her beloved Hood College a simulated-trading room. The Virginia Munson Hammell ’67 Trading Room was completed in 2015. Through Ginny, Hood students were given instant access to world of finance and stock trading, a world that was an integral part of Ginny’s professional life. Having a sincere concern for the plight of the homeless, Ginny became part of Community Lodgings, a transitional housing program in Alexandria, Va.  She served on Board of Directors for over 10 years donating her time, talent and money to its support. She was an active member of the Order of the Daughters of the King and both Christ Church and Emmanuel Episcopal Church in Alexandria.

In recent years, Ginny spent her winters on the east coast of Florida where she enjoyed playing bridge, scrabble and reading. She was a fiercely loyal and generous person to her friends, always providing a shoulder to lean on, and will be missed by everyone that knew her. Through her enriched experiences, avid reading and strong intellect, Ginny was an unusually interesting conversationalist. She had a zest for life that included a keen interest in art and politics.

A memorial service will be held on Saturday, February 22nd at 2pm, at Emmanuel Episcopal Church in Alexandria. In lieu of flowers, donations to Community Lodgings, 3912 Elbert Ave. Alexandria, VA 22305 would be appreciated.  

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