Jean M. Hamm, R.N. M.A. age 91 died on Sunday, December 4, 2005 in the Muhlenberg Regional Medical Center in Plainfield. She was born on May 20, 1914 in Port Carbon, PA.
Jean began her career in nursing at Jersey City Medical Center, graduating from its school in 1935. After staff nurse and head nurse positions, she was an instructor in that school for three years. Jean and her family lived briefly in Texas, and then returned to Westfield New Jersey where she was employed by Muhlenberg Hospital, first as a staff nurse, then as a faculty member in the School of Nursing in 1960. She was actively involved in the school as a Fundementals of Nursing instructor, then later as a department head from 1962 until 1969. From 1969 until 1975 she was an associate dean and in 1975 she became the first dean of Nursing at Muhlenberg until 1980. After her retirement she returned as skills coordinator and then as a volunteer from 1980 until 1992. During these years she received her BS and M.A. degrees from Columbia University. Jean worked hard over several years to develop a cooperative program with the Muhlenberg School of Nursing and Union County College in which students received their diplomas and associate degrees (a model for the country at its time).
She was also a member of The Presbyterian Church in Westfield.
She is predeceased by her husband Wilbur G. Hamm, a daughter Carolyn Jean Hamm and a sister Dorothy Eberle.
She is survived by one daughter, Joan McCloskey and two sisters Martha Flannery and Helen Hoy.