Washington Lodge 3-428   Norm and Sofia Hammer

Sofia Leversen Hammer was born in Stavanger, Norway, the daughter of Sigurd and Sigrun Leversen. She was educated in Stavanger as a nurse and then emigrated to USA in 1964, settling in Chicago with relatives on her father's side. She took a position as a nurse at Swedish Covenant Hospital until her marriage to Norman Hammer in 1965. Their children are Hans Christian of Arlington, Virginia, and Brit who resides in Rotterdam, The Netherlands. Sofia joined Washington Lodge in 2002. She also is a member of The Norwegian Society of Washington D.C. where she serves on the editorial staff of its newsletter. She enjoys sewing, embroidering and cooking. Both she and Norman are dedicated travelers, and have visited Norway and many other European countries and South America. They also are devoted opera fans.    Norman Hammer was born in Oak Park, Illinois, a western suburb of Chicago, the son of Schønning and Anna Hammervold. Schønning emigrated to the U.S. in the early 1920's from his home on Frøya Island near Trondheim, changing his name to Hammer. Anna arrived in USA in the mid-1920's from her home in Halsa, Nordland, in northern Norway. Norman grew up in Chicago, and earned a degree at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (M.I.T.), Cambridge, Mass, in Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering (ship design and ship building). He spent his entire employment career with the U.S. Maritime Administration in various locations, retiring in 1995. In 2009 he began a term as president of the Norwegian Society, having served earlier as its vice president in charge of programs. The Hammers reside in Rockville, Maryland .