Bernice “Bunny” Hammer Remembered as Dedicated Educator

Bernice “Bunny” Hammer of Freehold died over the weekend after a brief illness. 

Hammer was born in Brooklyn, New York, and was raised in Jamesburg, New Jersey. She was a graduate of Monroe Township High School and Drake College of Business. She received a BS in Science and a MA in Teaching from Monmouth College and a Masters in Library Service from Rutgers, the State University.

Hammer taught in both the Freehold Borough School System and the Freehold Regional High School District at both Marlboro and Manalapan High Schools, prior to her retirement in 1994. She was also the librarian at the Rugby School in Wall, New Jersey after her retirement from teaching. She was a lifelong member of the NJEA.

Hammer served on the Freehold Borough Board of Education and, then, for nine years, on the Freehold Regional High School Board of Education as a representative of Freehold Borough.

Her service to the community included many years as a commissioner of the Freehold Borough Public Library and member and Chair of Freehold Beautiful, Inc. Bunny’s community service provided a role model for her three daughters and their families.

She is survived by her daughter Lynn Hammer Reich and her son-in-law Ron Reich of Freehold Borough; her daughter Rea Hammer Epstein and her son-in-law Howard Epstein of New York City; and her daughter Della Hammer Cherchia and her son-in-law Jeffrey Cherchia of Marlboro, New Jersey. She is also survived by eight grandchildren to whom she waslovingly known as Bubby: Adam Reich and his wife Tara Reich; Jill Epstein; Amanda Reich; Marc Epstein, Jason Cherchia; Melissa Epstein; Meryl Cherchia and her great grandson Ethan James Reich. She was pre-deceased by her parents Molly and David Smith of Englishtown, New Jersey; her brother, Seymour Smith, and her beloved husband, Jerry Hammer to whom she was married for 58 years.

She and her husband enjoyed traveling to the seven continents and throughout the United States. She was an avid reader, knitter and gardener. She leaves behind many good friends acquired through work and travel.

A memorial service in her honor will be held at Temple Rodeph Torah, 15 Mohawk Drive, Marlboro, New Jersey on Sunday, March 24 at 1 p.m. The family will receive visitors at her home following the service. 

In lieu of flowers, the family has requested that donations in her memory be made to the Freehold Borough Educational Foundation, 6 Hance Blvd. Freehold, New Jersey; Temple Rodeph Torah; and the Make A Wish Foundation in Monroe, New Jersey.