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Sonny Hummert (7/19/1941 - 5/2/2020)
August Henry Hummert III ("Sonny"), son of August Henry Hummert Jr., and Cecelia Marie 'Dolly' Hummert nee Knecht, was born July 19, 1941 in St. Louis, Missouri. He was baptized in infancy and later confirmed his faith on Palm Sunday, 1955, in the Lutheran Church.
Sonny attended Thomas Jefferson School and later Webster Groves High School where he graduated in 1959. He attended University of Missouri, Columbia, for two years before enlisting in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War and serving as a tank commander at Fort Leonard Wood.
Following his military service, Sonny joined his father, August Hummert Jr. ("Gus"), and his grandfather, August Hummert Sr., at A. H. Hummert Seed Company on Chouteau Avenue near florist row in downtown St. Louis. Sonny's grandfather played a significant role in his life and helped to shape his strong work ethic, self-discipline, and exemplary care and devotion towards wife and family.
On February 6, 1965, Sonny married Kathleen (Kathy) Carol Munzlinger at Webster Gardens Lutheran Church, who survives, and with whom he enjoyed 55 years in the nuptual estate. Sonny and Kathy knew one another through their parents' friendship and their association at Westborough Country Club, St. Louis, MO. To their union were born August H. Hummert IV (Dan) and Julie A. Seifried. Also surviving are Sonny's sister, Diane Hummert Wagner, and brother, Peter K. Hummert. A blessed gift and legacy shall exist through Sonny and Kathy's four, dearly beloved grandchildren, Ashley Hope Hummert, August H. Hummert V, Jack Michael Seifried, and Nick Michael Seifried.
Sonny enjoyed good health and immersed himself in numerous activities as an energetic man possessing a thirst for knowledge and intellect. He found joy in his wife and children as a loving and devoted husband and father. His hobbies and interests included gardening, fly fishing, tennis, racquetball, travel, as well as scuba diving, and especially, flying. As a private pilot, Sonny and Kathy enjoyed flying their personal plane to many parts of the continental United States, the Bahamas, and the Caribbean.
Sonny's vocation, as President of A. H. Hummert Seed Company, beginning at the time of his father Gus' passing in 1974, occupied his time and intellect. Driven by a passion to succeed, as inculcated by his grandfather, August H Hummert Sr., Sonny grew A. H. Hummert Seed Company as a flower and vegetable seed business into a worldwide distributor of horticultural products. The company is now known as Hummert International and is headquarted in Earth City, Missouri. Sonny contributed mightily to Hummert International's growth and development and helped to stretch the company's footprint to several areas in the Midwest, the Caribbean, and Mexico. He holds numerous patents on products sold under the name of a wholly owned subsidiary.
While Sonny and Kathy were traveling to the Bahamas for their 50th wedding anniversary, Sonny suffered a heart attack. By God's grace, Sonny survived to enjoy five additional years of life with his beloved family. On May 2nd, 2020, the Lord called him home while enjoying an afternoon walk with his wife, Kathy, at 78 years of age and 55 years of sacrificial marriage.
Sonny was interred at Saint Trinity Lutheran Cemetery, 2160 Lemay Ferry Road, Lemay, MO.
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Dick Lodge
From Steve Wagner:
Ginger Welsch (Heitz)
I am so sorry to hear of Sonny's death. We had so many students in our class - I wasn't close to Sonny. I however, have memories of him being a very kind young man. Ginger Heitz
James Craig Schwaninger
Sonny came to my house on Drayton Avenue so we could use my dad's electric drill to mount rear-view mirrors on the fenders of his Chevy. My parents knew of the Hummert Seed Company and were impressed that I knew Sonny. I was impressed that we didn't drill holes in the front tires while installing the mirrors.
Judith Ann Crowe (Renwick)
Sonny (aka Augie) attended Clark School for grades 3 (the year the school opened) through 6th. He went on to WGJHS through 8th, then to Thomas Jefferson School on Lindbergh for 9-10th. He came back to WGHS for his junior and senior years. He's on the third row, second from the left (between Buzzy Drum and Roger Schmid in the second row - blond hair). Taken the last day of 6th grade, 1953.
Ann McReynolds (Nall)
August Henry Hummert III ("Sonny"), son of August Henry Hummert Jr., and Cecelia Marie 'Dolly' Hummert nee Knecht, was born July 19, 1941 in St. Louis, Missouri. He was baptized in infancy and later confirmed his faith on Palm Sunday, 1955, in the Lutheran Church.
Sonny attended Thomas Jefferson School and later Webster Groves High School where he graduated in 1959. He attended University of Missouri, Columbia, for two years before enlisting in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War and serving as a tank commander at Fort Leonard Wood. Following his military service, Sonny joined his father, August Hummert Jr. ("Gus"), and his grandfather, August Hummert Sr., at A. H. Hummert Seed Company on Chouteau Avenue near florist row in downtown St. Louis. Sonny's grandfather played a significant role in his life and helped to shape his strong work ethic, self-discipline, and exemplary care and devotion towards wife and family. On February 6, 1965, Sonny married Kathleen (Kathy) Carol Hummert nee Munzlinger at Webster Gardens Lutheran Church, who survives, and with whom he enjoyed 55 years in the nuptual estate. Sonny and Kathy knew one another through their parents' friendship (Hummert & Munzlinger) and their association at Westborough Country Club, St. Louis, MO. To their union were born August H. Hummert IV (Dan) and Julie A. Seifried. Also surviving are Sonny's sister, Diane Wagner nee Hummert, and brother, Peter K. Hummert. A blessed gift and legacy shall exist through Sonny and Kathy's four, dearly beloved grandchildren, Ashley Hope Hummert, August H. Hummert V, Jack Michael Seifried, and Nick Michael Seifried.
Sonny enjoyed good health and immersed himself in numerous activities as an energetic man possessing a thirst for knowledge and intellect. He found joy in his wife and children as a loving and devoted husband and father. His hobbies and interests included gardening, fly fishing, tennis, racquetball, travel, as well as scuba diving, and especially, flying. As a private pilot, Sonny and Kathy enjoyed flying their personal plane to many parts of the continental United States, the Bahamas and the Caribbean.
Sonny's vocation, as President of A. H. Hummert Seed Company, beginning at the time of his father Gus' passing in 1974, occupied his time and intellect. Driven by a passion to succeed, as inculcated by his grandfather, August H Hummert Sr., Sonny grew A. H. Hummert Seed Company as a flower and vegetable seed business into a worldwide distributor of horticultural products. The company is now known as Hummert International and is headquarted in Earth City, Missouri. Sonny contributed mightily to Hummert International's growth and development and helped to stretch the company's footprint to several areas in the Midwest, the Caribbean, and Mexico. He holds numerous patents on products sold under the name of a wholly owned subsidiary.
While Sonny and Kathy were traveling to the Bahamas for their 50th wedding anniversary, Sonny suffered a heart attack. By God's grace, Sonny survived to enjoy five additional years of life with his beloved family. On May 2nd, 2020, the Lord called him home while enjoying an afternoon walk with his wife, Kathy, at 78 years of age and 55 years of sacrificial marriage.
Following this service, Sonny will be interred at St. Trinity Lutheran Cemetery, St. Louis, Missouri.