R.I.P. Bob Hammond

My grandfather died this afternoon after 95 years.  I was asked to write the obituary by my family and have done so.

Colonel Robert Edmund Hammond, Sr. (ret.) died at the age of 95 on Saturday November 22, 2008 in Roswell, Georgia of complications related to a broken hip as a result of a recent fall in his home.   Born in Atlanta, Georgia on June 16, 1913 to Dr. E.J. Hammond and Nell Louise Evans Hammond, he lived nearly a century in this same city, a lifetime that spanned two World Wars, the Great Depression and the fall of the Soviet Union – a life that saw the rise of the automobile, modern motion pictures and the television, the computer and the cell phone.

Bob, as he was known by his family and friends, graduated high school from Tech High and went on to earn a Bachelor of Science from Georgia School of Technology in 1936, graduating 2^nd in his class.  After graduation, he went to work as Chief Accountant with The Grinnell Company, Inc.  In February of 1941, Bob Hammond entered the U.S. Army as a 2^nd Lieutenant as a result of his previous R.O.T.C. training and throughout the war served as a Personnel Officer and Quartermaster in both the Continental U.S. and the European Theater of Operations, including being stationed in Liège, Belgium during the Battle of the Bulge in which he was awarded the purple heart.

In 1946, he was discharged from active service as a Lt. Colonel and went to work with the Veterans Administration in a variety of capacities, including Deputy Commander of the Atlanta Army Depot from 1950 onwards as well as continuing his service in the Army reserves until his retirement as a full Colonel in 1973.  From 1951 through his retirement in 1978, Bob was employed by Lockheed Aircraft Corporation in Marietta, Georgia and was for a time the Engineering Branch’s Budget Control Department Manager.  In his later years, he also worked as a real estate agent for Harry Norman Realty on a part time basis.

Throughout his years he enjoyed many sports especially baseball  He was fond of telling the story of seeing the 1927 Yankees as they traveled north from spring training.  He played in his youth and as a varsity player in high school as a catcher with future Major League players Hugh Casey and Marty Marion.  He also played Varsity baseball at Georgia Tech.  Bob enjoyed traveling, many times revisiting places in which he served in Europe while in the war.  He was also an avid golfer.  Such was his love of God and country; Bob was very proud of having earned his Eagle Scout rank in the Boy Scouts of America and was a member of the Order of the Arrow.  In addition, he was a proud member of the Retired Officers Association, the National Society of the Sons of the American Revolution, the Mayflower Society and a Charter Member of the National World War II Memorial Society.

He is survived by his wife of sixty two years, Corinne E. Hammond; his two daughters, Toni Hammond Conrad and Terri Hammond and his son Robert E. Hammond, Jr.; and their families that include five grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.  In lieu of flowers, please send donations to Roswell United Methodist Church or the United Methodist Children’s Home.  Friends and family will gather at noon on November 25th with services to be held at 1pm that same day at Roswell Funeral Home at Mansell.

Robert Hammond’s life was a full life and well lived.  He will be greatly missed.

He lived a full life indeed.  I remember so many stories he has told me over the years.  About baseball, the war and just his life.  He was a fascinating man that I wished I had taken the time to get to know more.  I am happy to know he is at peace, finally after a month of struggling after breaking his hip.  I love you Papa.  Rest in peace.  That is all.

Comments

[Keith Konior]

We should all have a life so interesting and well-lived.

[Tony-Allen (Keiper)]

You have my sincere compassion, Al.

[F Chambers]

Robert Hammond was the husband of Corinne Elder Hammond who was my second cousin. I have added her, her parents, and grandparents to the Find-A-Grave website and would like your permission to add him and your beautiful obituary to the site (giving you full credit) and link him to Corinne.

Let me know. Thanks.

[AL Hurd]

Absolutely, please do and thank you. You will also find my obituary of Corinne Hammond as one of the more recent posts on this blog. My grandparents meant very much to me and this is another wonderful way to remember their great lives and the memories they gave us.

Thank you,
AL