Roberta Jean "Babs" Hammons

Roberta “Babs” Hammons, 79, of Carson, Wash., died Friday, Oct. 17, 2008 at her home with her children at her side.

She was born Dec. 5, 1928 in Mt. Vernon, to George and Mae Belle Hammons (Fletcher). She grew up and attended school in Mt. Vernon.

On Sept. 20, 1947, she married Wilber Foreman in Winnemucca, Nev. The first couple of years of their marriage, they herded sheep out of Lemhi, Idaho, up through the Bitterroot Mountains to be shipped by rail. She excelled at shoeing horses, was a great shot with a gun and was good at pack tying. After living there for a couple of years, they moved to Eastern Oregon where they raised their children.

During her lifetime, she worked at various jobs. She worked for many years at the state hospital in Pendleton as a ward supervisor. She also worked as a janitor for the Pendleton public schools. She owned the Town Tavern in Stevenson, Wash., for a number of years in the 1970s, and with her sisters, Ruth and Diddy, helped run the Wagon Wheel Tavern in Mt. Vernon. She also loved to play music with her friends and family.

She was preceded in death by her father, George Hammons, in 1934; her mother, Mae Belle Hammons, in 1982; her aunt, Ella Fletcher, in 1985; and three brothers, Joe David Hammons, in 1935, Harlan Hammons, in 1949; and Richard Hammons, in 2005.

Survivors include her son, Tom Foreman of North Bonneville, Wash.; daughters, Della Van Kirk of White Salmon, Wash., and Beverly Tanzer of Carson, Wash.; grandchildren, Adam, Anita and Abram Foreman; Anna Hoot; Tim Fuzi; and Ji and Joe Tanzer; great-grandchildren, Felicia, Brianna, Keandra, Abram, Zach, Joselyn and Landon Foreman; Tank Fuzi; Kirsti and Samantha Hoot; sisters, Violet Yarber of Redmond, Della Fay (Diddy) Steele and Ruth Holmes, both of Mt. Vernon; and Norma Fry of Dale; and brother, George Hammons of Brooks.

A memorial service is planned for a later date.