Molly Roth Hamaker, 68, died at home surrounded by her loving family on February 4, 2022, in Oak Park, IL. She lived in Walnut Creek, CA, for 35 years before moving her multigenerational household cross-country to Illinois last year, despite the pandemic and her struggle with pancreatic cancer.

Molly led a dynamic life, balancing family, work, friends and community involvement. Motivated to make the world a better place, especially for her children and grandchildren, Molly applied her remarkable energy, smarts, initiative, and gift of the gab to worthy projects both big and small. She placed a high priority on the people in her life, connecting readily and forming many lasting friendships over the years. Molly will be missed by all who knew her and remembered for her generosity, kindness and sense of a greater good.

Born in 1953 in Kansas City, KS, Molly also spent many childhood summers in Brooklyn, NY, with her grandparents. In 1969, at age 16, she went away to Webster College in St. Louis, MO. After marrying in 1971, she moved with her first husband, Dave, to Lawrence, KS, where daughters Dawn and Alita were born. In 1983 she married Charlie Hamaker, and two years later, following the birth of daughter Irene, the family moved to Walnut Creek, CA, where son Zach was born.

A natural collaborator and leader, she was just 21 years old in 1974 when she co-founded and became the first manager of the Community Mercantile, a cooperative natural foods grocery store and local institution still operating in Lawrence today. She was a work collective member until her departure from the co-op in 1982.

In between working and raising four kids, Molly continued to pursue her college degree. She graduated with a BA in 1990, on the same day her oldest daughter graduated from high school. She went on to earn an MA in educational psychology in 2002, the same year her youngest daughter graduated from high school.

Molly practiced as a school psychologist only briefly, but her interest in education was long-standing. As a parent she had been involved in alternative elementary school programs in Kansas in the 1970s as a founding board member for the Lawrence Open School and in California in the 1990s as an early participant and board president at Parkmead Active Learning School (PALS) in Walnut Creek.

In 2006, Molly entered the mental health field as a founding board member of Putnam Clubhouse, a community-based program for adults recovering from serious mental illness. Inspired by her first-hand experience with the lack of resources available to families and their loved ones suffering from mental illness, she served as executive director for much of her time with the Clubhouse until her retirement in 2019.

While her community impact was extensive, Molly’s primary work for more than 25 years was as an independent business development consultant, focusing on small organizations and individuals whose missions she admired. Her interest in food and wellness continued into her California years where she promoted farmer’s markets, worked professionally with Frances Moore Lappé and Mollie Katzen (two of her early food heroes), and co-founded and sold the online store Natural Candy Store with two of her daughters.

Molly relished her memories of hitchhiking through Europe as a teenager. When her children were older, she traveled extensively with Charlie, prioritizing locales where she could indulge in her love of snorkeling. She also enjoyed seeking out vegan restaurants in the cities she visited around the world.

Molly will be dearly missed by her devoted husband of 38 years, Charlie; children Dawn, Alita, Irene and Zach; granddaughters Frankie and Dora; brother Clifford; and half-sisters Sara and Elisheva. She was preceded in death by her parents, Bobbie and George, and her brother Donald.

A virtual Celebration of Life was held on March 6, 2022. For more information and to share memories, please see below.