Hammer, Michael D.E., 86 years old, passed away peacefully at his home in Wheaton, Illinois on December 15, 2023.

Mike was born in Champaign, Illinois, moving on to Miami, Florida where he attended college. Mike served in the United States Air Force, from 1955 to 1959. Mike worked as a model whose ads appeared on national television and as a salesman or manufacturer's rep for everything from cars to menswear to cowboy hats. But his greatest joy came from teaching, as a full-certified PSIA ski instructor (at Wilmot, Holiday Park, Villa Olivia and Deer Valley), watercolor painting teacher, bridge and golf enthusiast, and father.

He is survived by his wife of 41 years, Pamela Burt Lowrie; two sons Ed Lowrie of Warrenville, Illinois, and Matt Lowrie of Sunapee, New Hampshire; three grandchildren, Liz Lowrie of St. Charles, Illinois, Jack Lowrie of Boston, Massachusetts, and Molly Lowrie of Somerville, Massachusetts; brother Dennis McGiles of Fort Meyers, Florida; and sister Linda Sue Gosser of Savoy, Illinois.

A Holiday Open House in Honor and Memory of Mike will be held on December 28, 2023, from 2:00pm - 3:30pm in the Auditorium of Wyndemere of Wheaton, Illinois.

Family and friends may sign an online guest book at hultgrenfh.com . For more information, please call Hultgren Funeral Home at 630-668-0027.