Eugene “Bud” Hammer III of Katonah died on Tuesday, June 13 at the age of 58 after a brave battle against leukemia, according to his obituary.
Born in White Plains in 1964, Hammer graduated from Pace University with a bachelor's of business administration in Marketing before going on to begin a career with Atlantic Westchester, Inc., a Bedford Hills-based heating, ventilation, and air conditioning business that was started by his parents, Eugene and Madeline.
Along with his wife, Lisa, who he met during his time at Pace, Hammer helped grow the family business into a successful enterprise that won several prestigious awards, his obituary said.
Hammer rose to the position of President and General Manager of the company, which became known as a pioneer in environmentally-friendly HVAC systems.
In addition to helping the company grow, Hammer also dedicated his time to helping his community by joining the board of United Way of Westchester and Putnam, a nonprofit that helps financially struggling people and families. Hammer was selected as Board Chair of the organization in 2020 after joining in 2017.
In addition to helping the less fortunate, Hammer was always available to help his friends and family and was known for "lifting others up and helping them be the best version of themselves," his obituary said.
He was also known as a sociable personality and was always willing to talk with anyone at lengths about his several passions, which included the New York Ranger hockey team, fast cars, classic rock and the blues, and the game of golf, as well as other topics that attracted his interest.
Always seen wearing a baseball cap, Hammer was a "giving and thoughtful soul," and "will be missed and remembered by the many lives he touched," his obituary said.
Hammer is survived by his wife, Lisa; his brother, David Hammer; his sister-in-law Laura Fiorenza; his brother-in-law Frank Fiorenza; and many other friends and colleagues.
Visiting hours for Hammer will be held on Saturday, June 24 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. at the Clark Associates Funeral Home in Katonah at 4 Woods Bridge Rd. A short memorial service will follow at 4 p.m.
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