Doris Giannini Hamner

[carol]

Doris Giannini Hamner, the model for Olivia, died in 1990. She was an avid Walton fan and delighted in sharing a cup of tea with Walton's admirers travelling through Schuyler

[Marilyn]

She must have been quite young? Any idea of her age and what she died from?

[clyde]

I Googled her. According to the entry there, she was born in 1904 and died in 1990 (age 86) of Alzheimer's.

[Marilyn]

I notice she has a maiden name so wasn't born a Hamner? She would have been older than Earl.

[carol]

Here is info from Find A Grave where I found the info on the other Hamner family members.

Birth: Mar. 26, 1904
Alberene
Albemarle County
Virginia, USA
Death: Aug. 31, 1990
Schuyler
Nelson County
Virginia, USA

The mother of writer Earl Hamner, Jr.
Doris Giannini Hamner was born on March 26, 1904, in the small village of Alberene in Albemarle County, VA. She was one of seven children. The family moved to Schuyler where she attended school in the wood frame building next to the Museum. At age 17 she married Earl Henry Hamner.
Her roots were of humble Italian immigrant stock. She was born in a remote crossroads town in Virginia. She never attended college, owned a company, worked out of the home or accumulated great wealth. Yet, Doris Giannini Hamner was personified by three outstanding actresses: Maureen O'Hara, Patricia Neal and Michael Learned and she became the basis for the most beloved mother in the hearts of America, Olivia Walton.

She passed away on August 31, 1990 after a long bout with Alzheimer's disease.

She is remembered as a loving mother and grandmother, a woman of deep and abiding faith, a fantastic cook who delighted in feeding family and friends, a hostess who welcomed Waltons fans to her home and the role model for Olivia Walton, the mother who has touched the hearts of the world for over a quarter of a century.

Thanks to William Perhealth for the following information:

Doris Giannini Hamner, 86, of Schuyler died Friday, Aug. 31, 1990.
She was the daughter of the late Colonel Anderson Giannini and Ora
Mann Giannini.
Mrs. Hamner was preceded in death by her husband, Earl Henry Hamner; a son Willard Harold Hamner; and a brother, Donald E. Giannini.
She is survived by four sons, Earl H. Hamner Jr. of Studio City,
Calif., Clifton A. Hamner of Richmond, Paul L. Hamner of Tom's River, N.J., AND James E. Hamner of Schuyler; three daughters, Marion L. Hawkes and Nancy A. Jamerson, both of Richmond, and Audrey J. Hamner of Roanoke; two brothers, Curtis V. Giannini of Howardsville and Guilford Giannini of Schuyler; three sisters, Frances A. Payne of Esmont, Myrle M. Timberlake of Charlottesville and Margaret Brent of Richmond; 17 grandchildren; and five great grandchildren
A graveside service will be conducted at 2 p.m. Monday at Hamner family cemetery in Schuyler with the Rev. Dwight R. Mays officiating.
Thacker Brothers Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Family links:
Parents:
Colonel Anderson Giannini (1880 - 1964)
Ora Lee Mann Giannini (1884 - 1962)

Spouse:
Earl Henry Hamner (1899 - 1969)

Children:
Clifton Hamner (1928 - 1990)*
Marion Hamner Hawkes (1930 - 2004)*
Audrey Hamner Hankins (1931 - ____)*
Willard Harold Hamner (1934 - 1989)*
James E. Hamner (1936 - 2004)*

*Calculated relationship

Burial:
Hamner Family Cemetery
Schuyler
Nelson County
Virginia, USA
Plot: hamn

[Marilyn]

Oh for crying out loud.. I wasn't thinking straight. Duh.. it was his mother!

[carol]

Aug 30, 2013 17:33:39 GMT -5 Marilyn said:

Oh for crying out loud.. I wasn't thinking straight. Duh.. it was his mother!

LOL

[Deleted]

[cilla1945]

hi, i'm looking for recipes that doris hamner made. i wanted to write a cookbook called "RECIPIES FROM DORIS HAMNER'S KITCHEN", if anyone can help please let me know. god bless

[goodnight]

Feb 20, 2017 14:27:00 GMT -5 cilla1945 said:

hi, i'm looking for recipes that doris hamner made. i wanted to write a cookbook called "RECIPIES FROM DORIS HAMNER'S KITCHEN", if anyone can help please let me know. god bless

Somewhere on this board I know I've seen the recipe for Applesauce Cake. That would be one you're looking for, right? Perhaps someone knows where?

I know I've asked this before, but I'm having a senior moment. What was Olivia's maiden name? Or was it even mentioned? If it was, what episode? I know when I asked this before, it seemed like it was the same last name of her mother's sister Kate. I recall Olivia telling someone Kate was her mother's sister. Which confused me. Wasn't Kate a spinster? Did Kate and Olivia's mother have the same last name as Olivia's father?

Update: It just came to me. Kate's name was Kate Grover Daly, wasn't it? I don't recall any episode where it was said that Olivia's maiden name was Daly.

[coriscapnskip]

Both the applesauce cake recipe and Olivia's maiden name should appear in the novel The Homecoming.

[goodnight]

Feb 21, 2017 0:27:49 GMT -5 coriscapnskip said:

Both the applesauce cake recipe and Olivia's maiden name should appear in the novel The Homecoming.

I had a copy of that book and the recipe was in the back. There was also a recipe for the icing used for the cake (one of the ingredients for the icing was the Baldwin ladies recipe)

. And in the book Olivia's maiden name was an Italian name. But I've asked the question before on this forum if it was ever mentioned on the show. And whoever answered said her maiden name was Daly. But I don't recall ever seeing that in an episode at all. The 2 things I do recall are her telling Elizabeth when they were looking at some pictures in the attic that there was a picture of her mother's sister, Kate Grover Daly. And in the episode where John has a class reunion, his old sweetheart from high school says "You married that quiet girl, with the long braids and the Italian name". Or something like that. At first I thought maybe Olivia was supposed to be an Italian name.

[Kathy Lee]

Aug 30, 2013 14:35:27 GMT -5 carol said:

Here is info from Find A Grave where I found the info on the other Hamner family members.

Birth: Mar. 26, 1904
Alberene
Albemarle County
Virginia, USA
Death: Aug. 31, 1990
Schuyler
Nelson County
Virginia, USA

The mother of writer Earl Hamner, Jr.
Doris Giannini Hamner was born on March 26, 1904, in the small village of Alberene in Albemarle County, VA. She was one of seven children. The family moved to Schuyler where she attended school in the wood frame building next to the Museum. At age 17 she married Earl Henry Hamner.
Her roots were of humble Italian immigrant stock. She was born in a remote crossroads town in Virginia. She never attended college, owned a company, worked out of the home or accumulated great wealth. Yet, Doris Giannini Hamner was personified by three outstanding actresses: Maureen O'Hara, Patricia Neal and Michael Learned and she became the basis for the most beloved mother in the hearts of America, Olivia Walton.

She passed away on August 31, 1990 after a long bout with Alzheimer's disease.

She is remembered as a loving mother and grandmother, a woman of deep and abiding faith, a fantastic cook who delighted in feeding family and friends, a hostess who welcomed Waltons fans to her home and the role model for Olivia Walton, the mother who has touched the hearts of the world for over a quarter of a century.

Thanks to William Perhealth for the following information:

Doris Giannini Hamner, 86, of Schuyler died Friday, Aug. 31, 1990.
She was the daughter of the late Colonel Anderson Giannini and Ora
Mann Giannini.
Mrs. Hamner was preceded in death by her husband, Earl Henry Hamner; a son Willard Harold Hamner; and a brother, Donald E. Giannini.
She is survived by four sons, Earl H. Hamner Jr. of Studio City,
Calif., Clifton A. Hamner of Richmond, Paul L. Hamner of Tom's River, N.J., AND James E. Hamner of Schuyler; three daughters, Marion L. Hawkes and Nancy A. Jamerson, both of Richmond, and Audrey J. Hamner of Roanoke; two brothers, Curtis V. Giannini of Howardsville and Guilford Giannini of Schuyler; three sisters, Frances A. Payne of Esmont, Myrle M. Timberlake of Charlottesville and Margaret Brent of Richmond; 17 grandchildren; and five great grandchildren
A graveside service will be conducted at 2 p.m. Monday at Hamner family cemetery in Schuyler with the Rev. Dwight R. Mays officiating.
Thacker Brothers Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Family links:
Parents:
Colonel Anderson Giannini (1880 - 1964)
Ora Lee Mann Giannini (1884 - 1962)

Spouse:
Earl Henry Hamner (1899 - 1969)

Children:
Clifton Hamner (1928 - 1990)*
Marion Hamner Hawkes (1930 - 2004)*
Audrey Hamner Hankins (1931 - ____)*
Willard Harold Hamner (1934 - 1989)*
James E. Hamner (1936 - 2004)*

*Calculated relationship

Burial:
Hamner Family Cemetery
Schuyler
Nelson County
Virginia, USA
Plot: hamn

Thank you for such great information. Now we know why the Waltons ate spaghetti in some episodes! It was their Italian heritage! 

[Kathy Lee]

Feb 21, 2017 1:15:29 GMT -5 goodnight said:

Feb 21, 2017 0:27:49 GMT -5 coriscapnskip said:

Both the applesauce cake recipe and Olivia's maiden name should appear in the novel The Homecoming.

I had a copy of that book and the recipe was in the back. There was also a recipe for the icing used for the cake (one of the ingredients for the icing was the Baldwin ladies recipe)

. And in the book Olivia's maiden name was an Italian name. But I've asked the question before on this forum if it was ever mentioned on the show. And whoever answered said her maiden name was Daly. But I don't recall ever seeing that in an episode at all. The 2 things I do recall are her telling Elizabeth when they were looking at some pictures in the attic that there was a picture of her mother's sister, Kate Grover Daly. And in the episode where John has a class reunion, his old sweetheart from high school says "You married that quiet girl, with the long braids and the Italian name". Or something like that. At first I thought maybe Olivia was supposed to be an Italian name.

I thought it was a reference to her first name also. But I guess it was a subtle reference to her real last name. 

[Kathy Lee]

Feb 20, 2017 14:27:00 GMT -5 cilla1945 said:

hi, i'm looking for recipes that doris hamner made. i wanted to write a cookbook called "RECIPIES FROM DORIS HAMNER'S KITCHEN", if anyone can help please let me know. god bless

I have a little website that has recipes based on The Waltons. It is "Supper at the Waltons." 
Just the first two seasons are finished right now.