Cresson TB Sanatorium Remembered
Hammon
Helen Matilda McKinney Hammon was born Oct 23, 1919  in Coupon, Cambria County, Pennsylvania. She was the daughter of Peter Leo and Germaine Magdalene (Luther) McKinney and was raised in Ashville. She married Merrill Dell Hammon, Oct 3, 1942 in Winchester, VA.
 

Helen developed TB when her first child,  also named Merrill, was an infant and spent about two years in the San. Young Merrill was cared for by his Grandma McKinney during that time.   After her discharge and her husbands return from Europe when WWII was over they moved to Smithfield. She lived most of her life in Smithfield, a suburb of Huntingdon, P A.

 

She and Merrill were the parents of four children, Merrill Paul of San Antonio TX, Richard Earl of Mechanicsburg, PA, Rosemary Jane of Huntingdon, and David Lee of St Thomas V I.

 

Helen was a stay at home mom while the children were young. She went to work at the Arrow Shirt Factory and was employed there for many years. Helen died on Oct 2, 1988 at the age of 68 of breast cancer. Her husband Merrill died on June 3, 2009 at the age of 89.

 

 

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1.  The Cresson Diner where Helen worked and met her future husband, Merrill Hammon.
 
 
 
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3.  Helen on the right with nurses Petro and Nolan.
 
 
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5.  Ann Ledvak, Helen and Lenny.
     Vera Crawford in back.  Taken 9-24-44 on the steps of the Entertainment Hall.
 
 
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7.  Helen and Ruth
 
 
 
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9.  Helen    9-24-44
 
 
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11.  Lenny  standing by the corner of the Entertainment Hall, 9-24-44.
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2.  Lenny, Helen's friend.     At Cresson, Helen had the room on the second floor in the front corner on the right.
 
 
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4.  Helen on the left.
 
 
 
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6.  L to R  Back Row:  Edna, Lenny, Kay Bartolavich, Eva Chiti, Rita Sebo
Front Row:  Ann & Helen  9-24-44
 
 
 
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8.  Helen, Ann and Lenny standing by the side of the Entertainment Hall.
 
 
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10.  Unknown
 
 
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12.  Miss Petro, Miss Nolan