- Born on: October 7, 1944
- Departed on: June 6, 2023
- Resided in: Waverly, IA
William E. Hamm
William E. Hamm, 78, of Waverly, Iowa died at the Cedar Valley Hospice Center (Waterloo) on June 6, 2023.
The son of Ralph E. “Hap” and Pauline (Piotraschke) Hamm of Clarion, Iowa, Bill was baptized and confirmed at First Lutheran Church (Clarion) and graduated from Clarion High School in 1962.
He earned his baccalaureate degree in 1966 from Wartburg College (Waverly) followed by a Master of Arts degree in political science from the University of Iowa (Iowa City). Three institutions awarded him an honorary Doctor of Laws (honoris causa) degree: Wartburg College, the University of Charleston (West Virginia), and Davis and Elkins College (West Virginia).
Bill spent his entire career in higher education, beginning at Wartburg College, where he worked in admissions for eight years. In 1975, he joined a consulting firm to advise Huntingdon College (Montgomery, Alabama), before becoming vice president for admissions and university relations at California Lutheran University (Thousand Oaks, California) from 1978 to 1986.
Bill was president of Waldorf College (Forest City) from 1986 to 1999, and president of the Foundation for Independent Higher Education (Washington, DC) from 1999 to 2008. Bill returned to Wartburg College as interim president during the 2008-2009 academic year, then served as president of the Lutheran Educational Conference of North America (LECNA) from 2009-2015.
Throughout his lifetime, Bill held many board memberships and leadership positions both locally and nationally. Bill was a past president of Ascension Lutheran Church (Thousand Oaks, CA) and Saint Paul’s Lutheran Church and School (Waverly). A longtime Rotarian, Bill received the Service Above Self Award from two clubs and was past president of the Waverly Rotary Club. His accolades for community service included recognition from the State of California House and Senate, and Bill was named Iowa’s Global Citizen of the Year by the Iowa Sister Cities Association in 1997. Bill was most passionate about Waldorf College’s Lutheran Leaders Program for international students.
Bill was preceded in death by his parents and his sister Teresa (Loren) Loux as well as many members of a large extended family. He is survived by his closest cousin, John (Jan) Peterson of Humboldt, Iowa, and their two sons, Eric (Cathy) Peterson of Woodbury, Minnesota, and David (Missy) Peterson and family of Hibbing, Minnesota.
A memorial service will be held at 3pm on Sunday, November 5, 2023 at the Wartburg College Chapel and livestreamed at: https://tinyurl.com/bdsatuhv or
https://www.wartburgknightvision.com/wartburgacademics/?B=641236
Guests are invited to wear orange in celebration of Bill’s beloved alma mater. Private graveside services will be held at a later date.
In lieu of flowers, memorials can be designated to William E. Hamm Scholarships at Wartburg College (Waverly, IA), California Lutheran University (Thousand Oaks, CA), Waldorf Lutheran College Foundation (Forrest City, IA), or St. Paul’s Lutheran Church and School, (Waverly, IA).
The son of Ralph E. “Hap” and Pauline (Piotraschke) Hamm of Clarion, Iowa, Bill was baptized and confirmed at First Lutheran Church (Clarion) and graduated from Clarion High School in 1962.
He earned his baccalaureate degree in 1966 from Wartburg College (Waverly) followed by a Master of Arts degree in political science from the University of Iowa (Iowa City). Three institutions awarded him an honorary Doctor of Laws (honoris causa) degree: Wartburg College, the University of Charleston (West Virginia), and Davis and Elkins College (West Virginia).
Bill spent his entire career in higher education, beginning at Wartburg College, where he worked in admissions for eight years. In 1975, he joined a consulting firm to advise Huntingdon College (Montgomery, Alabama), before becoming vice president for admissions and university relations at California Lutheran University (Thousand Oaks, California) from 1978 to 1986.
Bill was president of Waldorf College (Forest City) from 1986 to 1999, and president of the Foundation for Independent Higher Education (Washington, DC) from 1999 to 2008. Bill returned to Wartburg College as interim president during the 2008-2009 academic year, then served as president of the Lutheran Educational Conference of North America (LECNA) from 2009-2015.
Throughout his lifetime, Bill held many board memberships and leadership positions both locally and nationally. Bill was a past president of Ascension Lutheran Church (Thousand Oaks, CA) and Saint Paul’s Lutheran Church and School (Waverly). A longtime Rotarian, Bill received the Service Above Self Award from two clubs and was past president of the Waverly Rotary Club. His accolades for community service included recognition from the State of California House and Senate, and Bill was named Iowa’s Global Citizen of the Year by the Iowa Sister Cities Association in 1997. Bill was most passionate about Waldorf College’s Lutheran Leaders Program for international students.
Bill was preceded in death by his parents and his sister Teresa (Loren) Loux as well as many members of a large extended family. He is survived by his closest cousin, John (Jan) Peterson of Humboldt, Iowa, and their two sons, Eric (Cathy) Peterson of Woodbury, Minnesota, and David (Missy) Peterson and family of Hibbing, Minnesota.
A memorial service will be held at 3pm on Sunday, November 5, 2023 at the Wartburg College Chapel and livestreamed at: https://tinyurl.com/bdsatuhv or
https://www.wartburgknightvision.com/wartburgacademics/?B=641236
Guests are invited to wear orange in celebration of Bill’s beloved alma mater. Private graveside services will be held at a later date.
In lieu of flowers, memorials can be designated to William E. Hamm Scholarships at Wartburg College (Waverly, IA), California Lutheran University (Thousand Oaks, CA), Waldorf Lutheran College Foundation (Forrest City, IA), or St. Paul’s Lutheran Church and School, (Waverly, IA).
