Longtime Hewlett Elementary School Gayle Hamer dies at 74

Hewlett Elementary School lost a very special, longtime teacher — Gayle Hamer — on April 21, 2022. She was 74.

Hamer, an Oceanside resident, lived by her brother, Robert Hamer, and extended family of nephews, nieces in law, and great nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by her father, Charles E. Hamer, mother, Margaret Hamer (Allen), and sister in law.

Over the 33 years she worked at Hewlett Elementary after graduating from Hofstra University, Hamer became family to those she worked with — calling her fellow second grade teachers the “Second Grade Sisters” before retiring in 2019 — and viewed her students as her own children.

Former co-workers second grade teachers Jennifer Hoffman and Christina Beatty, fifth grade and former second grade teacher Lisa Guglielmi, Principal Colleen O’Hara and retired special ed. teacher Marie Wohlmacher — remembered Hamer’s kindness, empathy, generosity, sense of humor, talent as a dancer, belly laugh, and love for jewelry, makeup and fashion. 

“She was light, she lit up the hall, she lit up her classroom, she lit up our lives and all that knew her. She loved to give the kids gifts [and] she was extremely generous,” said Guglielmi, who knew Hamer for 21 years. “She just supported everybody. If she heard about something or somebody needing something, it was like, she would give you everything off of her back.”

Many HES alumni who graduated between 1986 and 2019 remember Hamer gifting them Ty Beanie Babies, collectables and often-valuable plush stuffed animals. This is because Hamers’ brother, who lives in her home state of Pennsylvania, owned two Hallmark stores. “This is what started the Beanie Baby craze,” Guglielmi said.

“Whenever Gayle walked into a room,” Beatty, who knew Hamer for seven years, said, “she had a smile from ear to ear, and that smile was contagious to everybody.”
“Gail gave off positive light and energy all the time,”

Wohlmacher, who knew Hamer since 1988, said, “Gail was just someone that brightens the room. She had a phenomenal sense of humor. She was always kind hearted. She was always generous. There was this sweet quality about her that you just couldn't help but enjoy her company, and so the kids all adored her parents and really appreciated having her in their life as well.”

O’Hara, who knew Hamer for nearly seven years, agreed that both parents and students appreciated Hamer “because she genuinely loved her children,” O’Hara said, “and the parents knew that and really felt like they were sending their kids into a classroom where they were being loved every single day.”

Hamer always worked hard to understand her students and help them become confident in themselves and in their own abilities. “One of the things I think that was really phenomenal for her with these kids, even the toughest kids,” Wohlmacher said, “she really took the time to listen to them.” 

O’Hara added, “It doesn't matter what their strengths or weaknesses were, [Hamer] she treated her children [students] with such love and kindness and always empowered them.”

“I think she just made kids feel no matter what their ability was,” Beatty said, “that they were smart and empowered.”
Hoffman described Hamer, who she knew for 19 years, as Hewlett Elementary’s “matriarch” because of the extensive time she worked there.

Guglielmi added to Hoffman’s description: “She's seen the building through decades of change, and she was there to tell the stories,” Guglielmi said. “With the parents now that send their children here, she was their teacher. She's taught colleagues — she's taught so many people. I can't imagine the number of people that she touched.”

Hamer’s funeral service was held on May 4 — what would have been her 75th birthday — at the Kirk & Nice Suburban Chapel in Huntingdon Valley, Pa.