Motorcyclists killed in Republic collision remembered as devoted family man

On Saturday, April 3, Steven “Andy” Hammer, a Republic resident who worked as a corrections officer at
the Federal Medical Center in Springfield, was riding his motorcycle to work when a truck pulled out in
front of him on Highway 60. Hammer, unable to stop in time, hit the truck and was killed. He was 43.
Hammer had an extensive career in law enforcement. He had worked at the Federal Medical Center for
seven year. Prior to that, he was a military police officer in the United States Army for five years, and also
spent 10 years as a Greene County deputy sheriff.
Ian Martin, a friend of Hammer who worked with him at the Federal Medical Center, said that Hammer
had several admirable qualities.
“Hammer was a devoted family man that very kind, funny and all together a good guy,” Martin said. “He
loved being a law enforcement officer and spent almost 22 years as such. He ... was a very talented
artist, carpenter and wood carver. He was an avid motorcyclist that would ride nine months of the year.”
Lt. Tom Canter, with the Greene County Sheriff’s Office, a friend of Hammer’s for 17 years, described
him as a “selfless” person who believed in putting the community above himself.
“He loved our country,” Canter said. “He served in the Army. He (also) loved our community; when he got
out of the Army, he worked at the Sheriff’s Office, and then he went to the Federal Medical Center,
continuing to serve our community. He always put others above himself.”
Like Martin, Canter described Hammer as a devoted husband and father.
“His wife, Linda, he was so proud of her,” Canter said. “He would do anything in the world for her. When
his daughter was born ... there wasn’t a day at work that he wasn’t just bragging about her. Then three
years ago, his son was born, and it was the same thing. He adored his family.”
Hammer’s funeral was held on Thursday, April 15 at the Greenlawn Funeral Home East in Springfield.
Martin has started a Go Fund Me page to benefit his family; as of press time, it had reached $17,420 out
of a goal of $20,000.