Anthony Hammarsten

Funeral Mass for Anthony Tony Joseph Hammarsten, age 59, of Sioux Falls, South Dakota will be held Saturday, January 5, 2012 at 10:30 a.m. at Ave Maria Catholic Church in Wheaton, Minnesota with Fr. Joe Vandeberg Celebrant. Organist will be Tressa Lanter with special music provided by the Ave Maria Catholic Church Choir. Interment will take place at a later date in Wildwood Cemetery, Wheaton. Visitation will be held one hour prior to service time at Ave Maria Catholic Church on Saturday. Anthony Joseph Hammarsten was born January 13, 1953 at Maternity Hospital in Minneapolis, Minnesota to Elmer and Lucille (Serocki) Hammarsten. He spent his first twenty months in nursing care. He then came home until he was six and then went to Crippled Childrens Hospital in Sioux Falls, South Dakota until age twelve. He returned home for a few years and then attended as special school in Redfield, South Dakota until he was nineteen and graduated. He then went to Sioux Falls and went to vocational school for one year of additional education. Tony then worked quite a few years in parking lots in his Little House taking money from the people for parking there. Do any of you remember the little shacks? Then tony worked many years cutting old clothes for grease rags. He also volunteered for many years at the Sioux Falls Veterans Administration Office. Tony lived in his last apartment for twenty seven years and entered Covington Living Center in Sioux Falls, South Dakota in June of 2011 where he passed away on January 31, 2012. Tony was a friendly guy and spent much time visiting at the mall before going to the living center. Tony was outgoing and a dear friend to many. A special friend to Tony and all of us was his Doctor Rex Henderson. Thank you Rex! Tony is survived by his mother Lucille Hammarsten of the Browns Valley Nursing Home in Browns Valley, Minnesota; brothers: Dale (Sandy) Hammarsten of Ashley, North Dakota; David (Barbara) Hammarsten of Sun City, Arizona; Francis (Sue) Hammarsten of Inver Heights, Minnesota; sisters: Judith (Mike) Sellden of Fargo, North Dakota and Muriel (Donald) Asplund of Fergus Falls, Minnesota; sixteen nieces and nephews, and many friends. Tony was preceded in death by his father Elmer Hammarsten in 1998.