David Gayle Hammaker

David Gayle Hammaker

February 16, 1953 ~ February 18, 2025

David Gayle Hammaker, 72, of East Freedom, formerly of Roaring Spring passed away Tuesday evening, February 18, 2025 at UPMC Altoona.

He was born in Altoona, son of Ione Ruth (Davis) Hammaker and the late Cyrus Adam Hammaker Jr.

Surviving are a brother, Paul C. Hammaker (Wanda); two sisters: Carol A. Radomski (Mark) and Mary Beth Levrio; four nephews: Jared Hammaker, Corey Hammaker, Lucas Hammaker and Miles Levrio; and three nieces: Charlotte Radomski, Julia Radomski and Emma Levrio. He was very proud of all his nieces and nephews and always made time to engage with them.

He was preceded in death by his father and a brother-in-law, Jay L. Levrio.

Dave was a 1971 graduate of Central High School, Martinsburg and in 1975 earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Finance from the Pennsylvania State University.  He also studied photography at Rochester Institute of Technology.

He began his career with the Office of Comptroller of the Currency as Assistant National Bank Examiner assigned to the Hollidaysburg sub-region in 1975 and was then promoted to National Bank Examiner in 1980.  He later held a variety of positions including field manager in Pittsburgh and Philadelphia and examiner in charge of PNC Financial and Mellon Bank Corporation in Pittsburgh. In 1998, Dave was appointed Deputy Comptroller of the Currency for Compliance Operations in Washington, DC.  He was proud of his service as a U.S. Government employee and was a member of the National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association (NARFE).

After his retirement in 2003, Dave focused on his photography business, including leading workshops, seminars and photography trips in Pennsylvania and in the western states.  He was a member of the Altoona Blair County Photo Society where he held the offices of president, vice-president, secretary and treasurer.  His photographs were featured in galleries in Pennsylvania, Maryland, Nevada and Utah.  Dave won many photography awards including from the Southern Alleghenies Museum of Art, Blair County Arts Festival, and the Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts.  He was selected as the 2007 Artist-in-Residence at the North Rim of the Grand Canyon National Park.  One of his photographs is part of the permanent collection at the Grand Canyon National Park Museum.  His photographs have been published in the National Parks and Pennsylvania magazines and hang in many public and private collections, including at Andrews Air Force Base.

Dave was a longtime member of the Frontier Patriots Chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution where he held the offices of president, vice president, chancellor, and treasurer.  He was descended from 11 men who served in the revolutionary war.

He loved to travel and take photographs, particularly of the American West. Dave also enjoyed genealogy and family history, tracing his family history back many generations and to homelands in Europe.

A celebration of life will be planned at a later date.

In honor of Dave, please consider giving blood to the Red Cross if you are able.  Memorial donations may also be made to the following organizations:

American Red Cross:

https://www.redcross.org/

National Parks and Conservation Association:

https://www.npca.org/

Western Pennsylvania Conservancy:

https://waterlandlife.org/

Notifications may be sent to Carol Radomski, 605 Deerfield Ave, Silver Spring, MD 20910.

Arrangements are by John K. Bolger Funeral Home Inc., Martinsburg.