Robert Hammond

Robert (Bob) Hammond died at Porter Hospice in Centennial, Colorado on November 28, 2010 at the age of 92. Robert Raymond Hammond was born on a farm near Roswell, SD on July 20, 1918 to John W. and Anna Schaul Hammond. Jack Hammond came with his family to Miner County, SD from Illinois in 1909, while Ann’s parents Pete and Mary Schaul settled on Section 31 of Green Valley Township in 1901. Except for several early years spent with his parents on a farm near Canning in Hughes County, SD, Bob grew up on the family farm one mile north of Roswell. He attended the one-room Green Valley elementary school for eight years and graduated from Fedora High School in 1936. He then served two years with the CCC before enrolling in the civil engineering program at South Dakota State College (SDSU). Bob’s college education was disrupted on February 10, 1941 when he was called into active duty as a member of the 34th Division of the Army National Guard. He spent the next three years with the Quartermaster Corps, from 1942 onward the 135th QM Truck Company, at camps in Louisiana, South Carolina and other states along the East Coast. In February 1944 he embarked with the 135th for England on the RMS Queen Mary, crossed to France via Utah Beach on D-day +34 and moved across France attached to 12th Army Group Headquarters. The war’s end found him stationed at Wiesbaden, Germany. He returned Stateside in October 1945 and was discharge with rank of Staff Sergeant. Bob was awarded four battle stars for his service in the European Theater. Bob married Marcella Formanack, daughter of Fred and Augusta Formanack, at St Nicholas Catholic Church in Roswell, SD on June 4, 1946. Marc is the daughter of Fred and Augusta Formanack of Roswell and Bob and Marc had known each other since very early childhood. In 1947 Bob reentered the U. S. Army, this time with the Medical Corps. He was stationed at Ft. Lewis, Washington for two years and then spent a year in Tokyo, Japan. After his discharge as Sergeant 1st Class in 1949, Bob and Marc returned to Miner County to operate the family farm near Roswell, and raise their three children. He also did carpentry work and land surveys for the Department of Agriculture. They retired from farming in 1976 and moved to Longmont, Colorado. Bob worked there for 20 years as the maintenance supervisor for the Fox Hills Country Club, retiring in 1997 at the age of 79. During his years in Colorado Bob became an avid golfer. He and Marc also enjoyed hiking and exploring the Rocky Mountains and traveled throughout State as well as many parts of the U.S. They also took trips to Europe, Hawaii and Canada. Bob enthusiastically followed many sports, and was a particular fan of Note Dame football and the Denver Broncos. Due to their failing health, Bob and Marc moved to the Longmont Regent retirement community in 2007 and then to assisted living facilities in the South Denver area in 2009. Bob is survived by his wife of 64 years, Marcella, son David and daughter-in-law Diane Hammond of Highlands Ranch, CO, son Dennis and daughter-in-law Susan Hammond of Rapid City, SD, daughter Barbara Hammond and son-in-law Steve Brown of Seguin, TX, grandsons Scott (Christy) Hammond and Jeff Hammond, Rapid City, SD, Conor Brown, currently a graduate student at Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia, and Liam Brown, Seguin, TX. He also has two great-granddaughters, Anya and Abby Hammond of Rapid City, SD. Bob was a wonderful husband, father, neighbor and friend; he will be greatly missed. Interment of ashes with military rites will be at the Black Hills National Cemetery, South Dakota, at a future date. Bob’s family would like to express its sincere gratitude to all the caring individuals who saw him through his final days with such love and attention—the team from Colorado Community Hospice (Mary, Trisha, Donna, Nora and all the others), Porter Hospice (particularly Marlene who was with him in his last minutes), and all the staff at Serenity House Assisted Living’s Kit Carson House. We also give a special thanks to All Veterans Cremation for all the special kindness and gentle care they have provided to us and Dad, especially Jenna and Pete.