Submitted by: Dan Rich

Richard Robert Hammond

April 10, 1928 - Jan. 14, 2004

South Bend Tribune 1/17/2004

Mishawaka, IN -- Richard Robert Hammond, 75, of Winding Brook Drive, passed away of natural causes at 10:11 a.m. Wednesday, Jan. 14, in the Saint Joseph Regional Medical Center. Richard was born on April 10, 1928, in St. Paul, Minn., to the late Robert John and Loraine (Johnson) Hammond. He was married on June 17, 1950, to Ruthmary Dewald, who passed away on Aug. 10, 1995.

He married his current wife, Sandra Hammond, on Aug. 23, 1997, in Mishawaka. She survives of Mishawaka. He is also survived by three daughters, Victoria L. (Ronald) Anderson of St. Louis, Mo., Nancy A. (Kirk) Lawrence of Fishers, Ind., and Michele M. (Mark) Zeltwanger of Nappanee, Ind.; two sons, Timothy R. (Stephanie) Hammond of Zionsville, Ind., and Michael T. Hammond of Fishers; two stepdaughters, Shelley (Kevin) Hess of Lawrenceville, Ga., and Stephanie (Kevin) Blake of South Bend, Ind.; seven grandchildren and six great-grandchildren; a sister, Cozette (Kenneth) Call of South Bend; and by two brothers, Raymond (Wilma) Hammond of Mishawaka and Robert (Kathy) Hammond Jr. of South Bend.

Mr. Hammond was the owner of Valiant Homes and Torch Industries, both in the manufactured housing industry in Elkhart, Ind. He was a Korean War Army veteran and a member of Elks Lodge #235. He was a caring and loving husband, father, grandfather and brother.

A funeral Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10:30 a.m. today, Jan. 17, in St. Pius X Catholic Church, 52553 Fir Road at SR 23, Granger, Ind., with Rev. Daniel Scheidt, Associate Pastor, officiating. Visitation will be held from 3 to 7 p.m. Friday, Jan. 16, in the McGann Funeral Homes, University Area Chapel, 2313 E. Edison Road at Ironwood, and from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. today in the church. Committal services will follow at St. Joseph Valley Memorial Park, Grape and Cleveland Roads. Memorial donations may be made to the American Heart Association Memorials Program, Dept. 77-3968, Chicago, IL 60678-3968.