Obituary of Dr. Luther Larry Hamm

It is with great sadness that the Family of Luther Larry Hamm announce his passing after a valiant fight with Pancreatic Cancer.

Born September 19, 1955, he was the Son of the late Luther Moses Hamm and Mary Helen Calhoun-Hamm.

Dr. Luther Larry Hamm, known as Larry to his friends and colleagues, was an Aiken native and product of Aiken County public education, having graduated from Aiken High School in 1973. Larry went on to study at the University of South Carolina, where he earned his undergraduate and graduate degrees in chemical engineering, culminating with a PhD in 1982. He was hired by the Savannah River Laboratory straight out of graduate school, where he embarked on a long, distinguished career. Larry's expertise was in mathematical modeling of chemical and nuclear systems used in tritium and plutonium production at the Savannah River Plant. This included subjects as diverse as thermal hydraulics of reactor cooling systems and isotopic separation using the Purex process. Larry eventually became manager of the code development group with the charter to upgrade the thermal hydraulic analysis of SRP reactors (including multiphase flow). In 1992, he left Aiken to become Chief Engineer for the new Heavy Water Production Reactor project at Los Alamos National Laboratory but returned to SRL in 1994 to be near his mother when she became ill. Following reactor shutdown and the end of the Cold War, his focus shifted to remediation of legacy wastes, and he became an expert in modeling the fate and transport of radionuclides in the environment. While still working at the renamed Savannah River National Laboratory, Larry became an adjunct professor in the nuclear engineering program at the University of South Carolina, where he taught graduate courses in reactor thermal hydraulics and nuclear chemical engineering for several years. Larry published many technical reports during his career, most of which are not in the public realm, and he was well-known and respected throughout the Department of Energy's national laboratory complex. He retired from SRNL due to illness in January 2024 as an advisory engineer.

He is survived by his wife Cheryl Ann, his Daughter Monica Elaine Hamm, Step-Son Matthew G. Kyle (Anne), 2 Grandchildren (Gabriel and Izabella), a Brother Compton Wayne Cooper (Frances Mary), a Sister Helen Diane (Hamm) Hargett (Steve), and a Niece and 6 Nephews. He was proud of his Family.

Larry will be missed. He was such a brilliant, kind and generous man.

As per Larry's wishes there will be a delayed simple viewing on November 1, 2024, from 5:00 p.m. until 6:00 p.m. at George Funeral Home, 211 Park Ave., SW, Aiken, SC 29801. Followed by a cemetery service graveside at 3:00 p.m., November 3, 2024, in Evergreen Cemetery, Elba, AL (please observe daylights savings time).

Flowers are welcomed or memorial contributions may be directed to a charity of your choice.