Lauren Suzanne Hammitt

Lauren Suzanne Hammitt was born in Buffalo, New York, on December 30th, 1958. She passed away peacefully at home in Chesterfield, Virginia, on February 2nd, 2024. She was her parent’s second child, following her brother, Bruce Shugarts. Her father Norman Franklin Shugarts, and her mother, Ellener Shugarts (nee Cummins) lived in North Tonawanda as they raised their children. Lauren was extremely musically inclined, and took piano lessons throughout her schooling years. She also excelled in academics, winning the New York State Spelling Championship in Syracuse, NY, following a fourth place in the 1973 Scripps National Spelling Bee. She would be the first to tell you she would have won the national event too, had the modern rules of the Bee been in effect at that time.

Lauren graduated as Valedictorian of her high school class, and earned a full ride scholarship to Harvard University. However she returned home to North Tonawanda after only a half-year at Harvard, performing well but disliking the atmosphere. She finished her undergraduate degree at the State University of New York at Buffalo, broadening her language horizons by becoming proficient at Russian, adding to the French and Spanish she had already learned. Following that, she spent time at Johns Hopkins University’s School of Advanced International Studies, earning a Masters in International Relations.

From there, Lauren spent time in New York City, working for Swiss Bank in their World Trade Center offices, though she went up the towers only occasionally. After a few years, she transferred back to Buffalo, working for a smaller banking institution as a loan officer. It was here, reuniting with a friend from grade school, where she became a believer in Christ. Wanting to get involved in church, and desiring to start a family, she met her future husband at Amherst Baptist Church. Curt had been a believer for a few years, and was leading the young adult ministry at the church. They both quickly grew to love each other, Curt proposed on Goat Island located in the upper rapids of Niagara Falls, and were soon married on August 22nd, 1987. She taught piano lessons to several children in the church, and continued that after her marriage as well. Both served the church as volunteer praise leaders for many years after their marriage.

Lauren loved motherhood. She always described being a mom as some of her most treasured times. She and Curt had four children, Bradley, Jonathan, one too young to be named, and Audrey. I am sure she is now spending time getting to know that middle child between Jonathan and Audrey.

Lauren spent the majority of her time homeschooling her children, from kindergarten all the way through twelfth grade, pouring into each one of them her passions for language, reading, academics, and everything she could get her hands on. She drove the children to science museums, gymnastics and sports events, dancing and ice skating, and everything in between. She took leadership roles in the local homeschool groups, and facilitated as many social interactions for her children as possible, even wrangling a few into spelling bees and art contests just like she had done as a child.

As her children aged, she loved spending time with them, whether on vacations to Vermont, or just sitting around the kitchen table. She loved having family and friends over, as her father still lived in her childhood home in North Tonawanda. Moving to Virginia brought new challenges and new adventures, with her children going off to college and eventually leaving Lauren and Curt with an empty nest. But not entirely empty, as they continued to enjoy the company of their most recent Bichon Frisé, Pippin, named after a character from the Lord of the Rings, one of her favorite books.

First Jonathan, and then Bradley married, and she welcomed their wives into her family with warmth, Amanda, and Corinn, respectively. She also positively adored Jonathan and Amanda’s son Liam when he was born in the middle of 2022. During this time she even returned to her love of music and the piano, teaching a new generation of youngsters and even adults her skills with the instrument.

Her heart for teaching and pouring into others continued to shine up through and after her diagnosis with Glioblastoma. She took the time to speak the truth of Christ to an ambulance EMT while being transferred, early on in the disease’s progression. This faith of hers helped give her something to look forward to, as it does to all of her family. There is grief, indeed, but also hope and joy, with the knowledge that Christ holds her in His hands, and she awaits us with open arms.

There will be a viewing at Swift Creek Presbyterian Church at 10am on Thursday, February 8th, followed immediately by a service at 11am. A small luncheon will be provided afterwards. In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to one of the following: Glorify Performing Arts, Swift Creek Presbyterian Church, Glioblastoma Foundation, a charity of choice.