Richard 'Dick' Hammer 81
Bigfork Eagle | UPDATED 1 hour, 24 minutes AGO
Richard Douglas “Dick” Hammer, 81, of Vero Beach, Florida, passed away on Oct. 28, 2026, in Nashville, Tennessee.
Dick and his wife Vicki built their vacation home on Eagle Bend Golf Course in Bigfork. He spent 23 summers making many memories with family and friends.
Dick lived a remarkable life defined by determination, generosity, and an entrepreneurial spirit.
Born on Jan. 15, 1945, in Duluth, Minnesota. He spent much of his adult life in Brentwood, Tennessee, where he, along with his wife Vicki, founded Brentwood Services, Inc. and Brentwood Services Administrators in 1990.
He created a dynamic culture at Brentwood Services. He believed that surrounding himself with the best people and taking care of employees and clients was the formula for success. Over 30 years, Brentwood Services grew to employ as many as 300 people.
Dick graduated from the University of Minnesota Duluth. Having considered himself an average student, Dick believed that academic achievement wasn’t the only measure of a person’s potential. He established the University of Minnesota Richard D. Hammer Scholarship Fund, making scholarships available to students with a GPA of 2.5 or higher.
With a strong commitment to education, he set up a scholarship program for the children of Brentwood Services employees as well as a scholarship fund at UMD in memory of his brother.
Throughout his life, he served on several boards including Liberal Arts of The College of Liberal Arts at board at UMD and the Martin Methodist College in Pulaski, Tennessee.
A big-hearted, generous man, Dick loved and believed strongly in people. He saw the good and the potential in everyone and found great joy in helping others realize that potential.
Dick is survived by his beloved wife, Vicki Hammer; daughter, Julie Jensen, and son-in-law, David Jensen; granddaughter, Cecelia Jensen; and sisters, Virginia Mahlum and Marcine Edgar.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Helen and Elmer Hammer, and his brother, Donald Hammer.
A visitation will be held at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 7, at Forest Hills United Methodist Church located at 1250 Old Hickory Boulevard, Brentwood, Tennessee. A funeral service will follow at 11 a.m., with a reception to follow.