| Graduation Year | Class of 1964 |
| Date of Passing | May 20, 2021 |
| About | Darrell “Bear” Hummer passed away peacefully on May 20, 2021 at his home in Glenwood, Maryland, after valiantly enduring multiple hereditary illnesses the last 33 years. Bear leaves behind his beloved wife Marilyn and devoted Service Dog Gracie Mae. He is also survived by his sister Barbara, nephew Jeff and niece Leeta. He is preceded in death by his parents, Lillian and Joseph Lee Hummer. After graduating from Walkersville High School, Bear completed his Bachelor’s Degree at the University of Maryland … he joked that his favorite subject was the Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity. After managing the Froehling & Robertson engineering office in Landover, and as a construction inspector/engineer with the Maryland State Highway Administration, Bear found his calling with real estate appraising, culminating with his own company, Charter Appraisals. He took immense pride in his work and always pursued additional education, which earned him the GRI and SRA designations, and qualified him as a FEMA Disaster Inspector, a Howard County Circuit Court Expert Witness, a BBB Senior Arbitrator, a FHA Lenders Select Panel Appraiser, and a VA Residential and Review Appraiser. As Bear liked to grin and say, “I was conceived, born and raised on Bear Den Farm” in New Midway, Maryland, an upbringing that developed his lifelong love of animals. He enjoyed FFA in his youth; served 10 years on the Board of Directors of Fidos For Freedom, Inc., and participated in hundreds of their Dogs Educating & Assisting Readers library sessions and Therapy Dog visits; and concluded with setting up the American Red Cross Therapy Dog Program at WRNMMC (Walter Reed) in Bethesda where he was appointed the Program’s first Chair. Bear and Marilyn were together for 50 years, 35 of which she traveled extensively for business. He enthusiastically accompanied her to the most exciting cities and resorts, and gleefully told people how he was “wined and dined while she worked her tail off.” For decades they enjoyed playing golf together locally, in Naples, Florida, and whenever they could squeeze it into their trips. Bear’s zest for life, kindness, generosity and sense of “hummer” (humor) was evident to all those who knew him. Bear’s life was inspired by the United States Marine Corps’ core values, and he often quoted Lt.Gen. Chesty Puller: “Pain is weakness leaving the body.” Bear was addicted to every genre of military history, and avidly supported the Chicago Bears and Maryland Terrapins. He had an extensive collection of Marines, Bears and Terps memorabilia and shirts that he wore proudly. At his direction, Bear was cremated; no services. In lieu of flowers, contributions in his memory may be made to Fidos For Freedom, Inc., Laurel, Maryland; or the League For Animal Protection, Fincastle, Virginia. |
