Obituaries

Sarah Lee Hamm

Photo of Sarah Lee Hamm
Sarah Lee Hamm, 54, passed away Saturday, July 28, 2018 at our home with husband Bill and her boys James and Austin at her side. Born January 31, 1964, the daughter of Stanley C. and Mary Jane Owen Swope in Fayetteville, Ark. Sarah began showing registered polled Hereford cattle at 8 years old receiving numerous accolades at the county, state and national levels. She was the first one of only 2 jr. exhibitors nationwide to show at the first 12 National Jr. Polled Hereford shows. She graduated as one of the top of her class in 1982 from Elkins High School having lettered in basketball and was very active in numerous clubs. She received numerous scholarships to attend the University of Arkansas. Bill and Sarah married July 6, 1985, making a home in Fayetteville and later Farmington, Ark., then returning to her family farm raising registered polled Hereford cattle. Sarah graduated in 1986 with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Agriculture from the U of A. She began her working career at First National Bank of Springdale but left to fulfill her dream to be a stay at home mom and farm wife to raise the boys on our farm which she dearly loved…which began on March 20, 1995 when she went into labor giving birth to Austin. Sarah was a lifelong supporter, member and club leader of Elkins 4H. She was asked by the Washington County Extension Office to apply to the U of A Cooperative Extension Service because of her knowledge and expertise of county, state and national 4H policies (where she managed 4H clubs and activities for all of Washington County as well as the Washington County Fair until her illness forced her to retire in the spring of 2018). She was Jr. Beef Superintendent at the Washington County Fair and currently the Open Beef Superintendent with husband Bill. Sarah had shown beef cattle for 51 years at the Washington County Fair and 49 years at the Arkansas State Fairs, respectively. She was preceded in death by her father, Stanley C. Swope; a brother, James Earl Swope; grandparents, Ray and Lee Swope and Clab and Sadie Owen. She is survived by her husband, Bill of 33 years of marriage; her boys, Jimmy and Austin (Austin currently at Ames, Iowa attending Iowa St. University working towards his masters degree); her mother, Mary Jane Owen Swope of Fayetteville; our self-proclaimed adopted show cattle and college son, Hunter Burnett of Greenbriar, Ark.; father and mother-in-law, Robert Wayne and Patsy Hamm; brothers-in-law, Jerry Hamm and wife, Jerry Jo of Hindsville and Terry Hamm of Fayetteville; and numerous cousins, nieces and nephews. Sarah's Elkins High School Class of 1982 was very close throughout her life…Donna Lukas, Saundra Evans, Sharon Pyle and Mike Rinker and their families have remained especially close throughout the years and will be cherished forever in our families. Our family was also blessed to have had so many lifelong friends through our cattle showing that spans over 50 years that are too numerous to mention. The family will receive friends from 6-8 P.M. Monday, July 30, 2018 at Beard's Chapel. Funeral services will be 10:00 A.M. Tuesday, July 31, 2018 at Beard's Chapel. Interment will follow in Baptist Ford Cemetery under the direction of Beard's Chapel. Condolences at www.beardsfuneralchapel.com.

Published July 30, 2018

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