Sharman B. Hummel

Sharman Bookwalter Hummel’s Celebration of Life.

On Wednesday, November 22, 2023, Sharman peacefully returned to his eternal home at the age of 95. Sharman was born to the union of Arthur W. Hummel, Sr. and Ruth Emma (Bookwalter) Hummel on July 26, 1928 in Washington, D.C.

Sharman’s childhood was spent in Chevy Chase, Maryland with his older siblings, Caroline and Arthur. He attended a local elementary school in Chevy Chase often accompanied by his beloved dog, Skipper, who waited for him outside the school. During his high school years, he attended Westtown School, a Quaker boarding school in Pennsylvania. After high school, and at the end of World War II, he enlisted in the United States Army, where he served with the Occupational Army in Germany. Using the GI Bill, he enrolled in classes at the University of Maryland, Beloit College in Wisconsin and then graduated from Oberlin College with a Bachelor’s Degree in Economics.

After his college graduation, he spent time working in Washington D.C. where he met his future bride, Anne-Marie Linnea Hellqvist from Stockholm, Sweden, at an International Social Event at the Friends’ Meeting House. They were married September 11, 1954 in Washington, D.C.

To their union, they were blessed with six daughters and lived in various places such as Pennsylvania, California, Utah and Michigan until they settled in New Berlin, Wisconsin. It was there in 1967 that Sharman started his career teaching Printing and Graphic Arts at Milwaukee Area Technical College. He taught there, moving seamlessly from instructing using printing presses/type setting to computer technology until his retirement at age 70.

Sharman was always interested in politics and history. He read the Washington Post newspaper daily and kept up with current events. He loved to discuss, argue or lecture about his views on politics and world affairs. This interest stems from his childhood family who discussed and participated in politics and government their entire lives. His father Arthur W. Hummel, Sr. was the Chief of the Orientalia Division in the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C after spending 14 years in mainland China with his wife and two children as teaching missionaries before Sharman was born. Sharman’s brother Arthur W. Hummel, Jr. worked in the United States State Department as the U.S. Ambassador to Burma, Ethiopia, Pakistan and China. His mother was also involved in several women’s service organizations in Washington, D.C.

Sharman loved to read history books and always kept a stack near the kitchen table. He continued his love for learning in his later years by listening to history audiobooks. He was also a “man before his time.” Sharman exercised daily even until the day before he passed away. He rode a bicycle for exercise starting in the 1940s, before it was a popular sport. When it was not common for a man to be in the kitchen, Sharman ground wheat and baked whole-wheat bread for the entire family each week. His daughters were embarrassed eating whole-wheat bread for school lunches each day, wishing that they had sandwiches made from white “Wonder” bread. He also regularly made home-made yogurt, juiced carrots and dried fruit from their garden for his family.

He was a man of great faith and dedicated to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints which he and his family joined in 1961. He taught his family daily the importance of praying to our God every morning, before every meal and in every circumstance. Every day, Sharman studied the word of God found in the scriptures and prophets. He enthusiastically shared the teachings of Jesus Christ with everyone he met, sometimes being too zealous. Sharman also enjoyed serving in various capacities in the local congregation and cherished the many good people and friends he associated with there. He spent countless hours doing family history work where he gathered information about his ancestors. He also served weekly for almost 20 years as an ordinance worker in the Chicago IIllinois Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Sharman kept a personal history of his life and encouraged others to complete their genealogy work.

Sharman, Dad, Morfar, Gamle Morfar (Swedish for grandfather and great-grandfather) is survived by his wife of 69 years Anne Marie Linnea (nee Hellqvist) and daughters, Marianne (Dennis) Nielson, Ingrid (Bob) McAlister, Anita Hummel, Sonia Hummel, Caroline (Stephen) Collins and Sharlene (Matthew) Atwood. He is survived by his grandchildren, Jeffrey (Jeannette) Ruhl, Monika (David) Wolfson, Linnea (Tim) Rumsey, Erik (Ashley) Ruhl, Lauren Collins, Camden (Leslie) Collins, William Atwood, Emily (Richard) Wilson, Anne-Marie (Jackson) Feldman, Emily Atwood, Hannah Atwood, Grant Collins, Joseph Atwood and (Joshua Stephenson deceased). He is also survived by his five great-grandchildren Adelie Ruhl, Abigail Ruhl, Nathan Boshi, Zoe Boshi and Zachary Boshi. His brother, Arthur William Hummel Jr. and sister Caroline Hummel Ames have preceded him in death.

A private family burial was held.

On January 13, 2024, at 1:00 PM, a Memorial Service will be conducted at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 9600 West Grange Avenue, Hales Corners, Wisconsin.

In lieu of flowers, please kindly consider making a donation to the Humanitarian Services, our Dad’s favorite charitable organization.

Last year as part of Sharman’s 95th Birthday celebration, Sharman’s six daughters collectively shared with their father the “gifts’ and memories that he has given them throughout his life. Below is the daughter’s tribute to their father.

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