Our friend and buddy Nick Hamburg passed away suddenly on September 28th after fighting an infection for the last couple months. Nick was born in Everett on January 31, 1983 and moved with his family to Wenatchee in 2005. Shortly after moving here, I met Nick at a Mike Utley Foundation event, he was riding his hand cycle. He said he always appreciated military members and veterans for their service, so I invited him to one of our Friday Community Coffee gatherings. After meeting everyone on his first visit, he made an effort to be there every Friday to visit his friends. He became a fixture at our VFW.
Nick wanted to help us during our Spring and Fall Buddy Poppy Drives by handing out poppies and receiving donations from the public. He usually paired up with a couple of our older WWII and Korean War vets at the old Food Pavilion Store (now Grocery Outlet) in East Wenatchee. Looking back at our volunteer list, Nick helped raise over $100k in Veteran Relief donations during 32 poppy drives over the years. He may not have served in the military due to his spina bifida, but Nick certainly SERVED our local veterans and their families by his efforts to raise relief funds. He made a difference in the lives of many.
Always happy to talk with veterans, he really appreciated the kindness and attention he received at the Post. Quite often when a veteran would present him with pin, patch, or military unit shirt, Nick would be proudly wearing it at our next gathering. He was a good friend of everyone he met, especially the Comrades and Auxiliary members of this Post. Rest in peace my friend.
Please be sure to read his online obituary for a better understanding of his life.
Nick’s Memorial Service was held on Saturday Oct 7, 2022. Thank you to the Post and Auxiliary members who came out to support Nick’s family and friends.
