Naomi Grace Hanmer McGrann

            We are gathered this morning to bear witness to our faith in the resurrection, the resurrection of all who are buried in Jesus Christ the Lord and the resurrection of Naomi Grace Hanmer McGrann.  Naomi died peacefully at home on Friday evening.  She was 77.

            Naomi Hanmer was born January 13, 1929, in Oberlin, Ohio, the second child and eldest daughter of Merle and Minnie Hanmer.  Her mother had been shopping that day when the snow fall accelerated to blizzard proportions, so Naomi was born at home.  The Hanmer’s had a large family:  Naomi had four brothers and three sisters – two other siblings died in early childhood.  Merle Hanmer worked for US Steel and as a carpenter and as an amateur but expert mechanic.  Minnie worked at the school cafeteria when she wasn’t at home with her eight children.

            Naomi grew up in Oberlin, graduating from high school there in 1947.  After borrowing money from her grandfather for dental instruments, Naomi entered Ohio State in the dental hygienist program.  Naomi had assisted a local Oberlin dentist in high school. Naomi’s studies at Ohio State were interrupted after two years when her parents suffered a fire.  Naomi moved home to help her parents out. She worked as a dental hygienist through 1980, and also taught for a while in MCV’s dental hygienist program. 

            Growing up in Oberlin in the 1930’s and 1940’s was the American life depicted by Norman Rockwell magazine covers.  Naomi’s older brother, for example, was the neighborhood paper boy.  Except during sports seasons, when he recruited his sister to take his route for him.  The “paper girl” took a lot of teasing, especially from one of her neighbor’s, a boy who was also her brother’s best friend.  Eventually Jack McGrann dropped the teasing took up courting instead.  They were married in 1951 in the chapel of the Oberlin School of Theology, and shared 55 beautiful years together, and had two sons, John and David.

            The newlyweds moved to Cincinnati, rented an apartment with a Murphy bed, and Naomi worked while Jack attended law school.  After Jack took his law degree in 1953, Jack went to work as a trust officer with the First National Bank of Cincinnati.  Shortly he heard of a position with the old Bank of Virginia in Richmond. Naomi accompanied Jack on his interview.   It was really “their” interview, as Naomi remembered the white glove ladies luncheon at the Jefferson that introduced her to Richmond, while Jack was being interviewed in the Board room!

            Settling in Richmond, Naomi was the consummate corporate wife of the 1950’s.  She managed the home and raised the boys, worked in the church and school and scouting.  And she became active in garden clubs and the arts.  She was “Martha Stewart” before there was a Martha Stewart.  She sewed and did art projects and served sumptuous meals and was a gracious hostess.  Her curiosity and artistic bent led her to take all manner of classes, ranging from Japanese floral arranging to painting, cooking, and upholstering furniture.

            Naomi particularly loved gardening.  She had grown up in her family’s vegetable garden and on her grandparents’ farm, and she loved to work the soil and nurture and shape her flowers.  She became an avid and accomplished golfer.  Her civic and social associations reflect some of her varied interests: Naomi was a member of the Council of the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, the Tuckahoe Women's Club, Ikebana of Richmond, the Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden, and the Willow Oaks Country Club..

            Naomi was devoted to all of her family, but especially the three men of her life – her husband and two sons.  She an attentive daughter and later a delightful grandmother:  she wrote her mother every week and sent her grandchildren postcards and gifts from their far-flung travels. Naomi was ever attentive to her family, hosting traditional gatherings on holidays and holy days.  She was a gracious, beautiful, charming lady in every sense of the word.

            Naomi exercised her religious faith as she did her life endeavors, with quiet and sincere devotion.  When Jack and Naomi first moved to Richmond, they were members of Third Presbyterian Church, and then joined Bon Air Presbyterian when moving south of the river in the 1960’s.  Naomi and Jack were fixtures in Sunday morning worship and at Wednesday Night dinners. Naomi was an integral part of a cooking team for the weekly dinners.  Naomi also was a charter member of the church’s Memorial Garden Committee which planned, developed and now maintains this vital ministry of the congregation.  Naomi was a hands on member of the committee, planting and pruning the flowers, shrubs and trees – all of which she knew by name.

            Naomi faced her cancer with the calm determination and quiet courage and modest, confident faith with which she faced all of life’s challenges.  She welcomed home health caregivers from Today’s Companion, and Hospice into her home and into her life.  The family is grateful for the care Naomi received from Pam Reaves, Princess Reaves, Erica Bradley, Tanita Anderson, LaRaven Rambo, Ashley Ruddle and Edith Bailey, and Tricha Hood of Hospice.

Naomi is survived by her husband of 55 years, John Thomas (Jack) McGrann; sons, John Thomas McGrann, Jr. and wife, Karen Waters, and David Allen McGrann and wife, Katy; and grandchildren, Margaret Grace and James Davidson McGrann, all of Richmond. She was preceded in death by two siblings, Richard Hanmer and Kathryn Mims; and is survived by five siblings, Clinton Hanmer, David Hanmer, Robert Hanmer, Linda Pleasnick and Nadine Gott, and their families; and a sister-in-law, Pegge McGrann Downs, her extended family, and a host of friends.

            Having gathered for our mutual support and to hear the comfort of the scriptures, let us worship God:

R. Charles Grant

Bon Air Presbyterian Church

Richmond, Virginia 

April 12, 2006